How Much Does a Tattoo Cost? - Tattoo Price Calculator

Here you'll find the only page you'll need to discover how much your tattoo will cost.

It's very hard to get an exact quote, but we'll give you a price range that, if you use the calculator correctly, can help you estimate the price the artist will charge you. It mostly depend on your city rates, who's the tattooist and the complexity of your project.

If you need to better understand what each option means, refer to the guide below

Where are you getting your tattoo? 

Choose either the CITY, STATE or COUNTRY where you'll get your tattoo.

You can also choose the city where your tattooist generally works from in case you plan to get your tattoo at a convention. For instance, If you're getting inked at a tattoo fair in Mexico City but your tattoo artist has a studio in New York, he'll probably charge the rates he'd charge you in New York.

How detailed is the piece?

Take into account that detail level is very different form size. A tattoo can be tiny but highly complex (for instance a piece in dotwork micro-realism). A tattoo can also be huge but have a low level of complexity.

The price will vary widely based on how many hours the artist has to put in. Alongside the tattoo size, the complexity will help you estimate the cost of your tattoo due to its influence on total tattooing time. Here's a example of each level of detail:

Basic

Your tattoo probably fits into this level of detail if it's one of these styles:

Minimalist, Tribal, Lettering, Illustrative or Geometric

Some details

Your tattoo probably fits into this level of detail if it's one of these styles:

Blackwork, Japanese, Trash Polka, Floral, New School, Traditional, Sketch, Illustrative

Detailed

Your tattoo probably fits into this level of detail if it's one of these styles:

Realism, Micro-realism, Dotwork, Black & Gray

How experienced / popular is the artist?

It's only natural that less experienced artists charge less than artists who have a packed schedule. Here's how to use each term to help you better choose an option:

Starting out - An artist with less than 3 months of experience since getting the license - this option gives you a significantly lower rate than what you'd get with an established artist

Apprentice - An artist with up to 2 years of experience - this option will give you a rate lower than the average hourly rate for an artist in your town

Established - An artist who has been tattooing for more than 2 years

Experienced - An artist recognized in their area for doing a great work. If (s)he has a social media account, it has less than 50k Instagram followers

Popular - An experienced artist that is known across the media (television, magazines, etc.). If the artist has a social media account, it has more than 50k followers.

World's top - The artist is one of the most well known tattoo artists today. If the artist has a social media account, it has more than 200k followers.

Large (up to 20 cm / 8'') - Choose this option only if you know your desired design but aren't sure about the artist you want to work with. You'll get a rate similar to that of an established artist.

Disclaimer : This is not suppose to be a 100% accurate calculator, but a tool to help you prepare your budget. Get inspired and start preparing your next piece.