There are all sorts of considerations to keep in mind when thinking about a tattoo, especially if it’s the first. There are usually a few major concerns that people have when looking into it, namely the amount of money it will cost, and the amount of pain it’s going to hurt. Interestingly, these are both rather elusive things to answer. Pain is a rather relative thing, but it certainly does hurt, because there are needles going into the skin. Likewise, money is a relative thing, but it is going to cost. Some tattoos are more expensive than others, so this article will look at the some of the factors affecting cost.
Prices do vary from city to city, and certainly from country to country. The cost of a tattoo in a small town probably won’t be nearly as much as one in New York City, or Southern California. There, the rents are higher, and the cost of living is much steeper, and this means that the studio has to pay more for its own rent, and so does the tattoo artist. In most studios, the artist isn’t the owner, so they’re having to take a number of cuts, from equipment and supplies, to the commission they’ll take from your fee. The rest goes to the parlor. The parlor isn’t making a bundle, generally speaking, and the cut is usually 20% or so. When the final tally is done, the artist will be getting about 10-20% of what you pay.
In most instances, you won’t be likely to be paying for work by a world-famous tattoo artist, but if that is the case, just plan on it being very expensive. Otherwise, tattoo artists will charge a minimum for smaller tattoos, usually around $75-100, and the price goes up from there. For larger tattoos, and ones with many colors, the price can go up much higher. In those cases, it’s usually based on an hourly rate, which can be anywhere from $75-150, and in some instances significantly higher. It really depends. But these are some general guidelines, that will help to start to understand what’s involved. It’s a better idea to know the artist, or to get a recommendation from a friend, because safety is a much larger concern than cost, and they often go together. A good tattoo isn’t cheap.
