Tattoo Size Pricing Estimator
Estimate tattoo cost by size, complexity, and location.
Get a price range based on artist hourly rates, design style, and body placement difficulty.
Estimated Tattoo Cost
Tattoo Pricing Estimation
Tattoo prices depend on three main factors: Cost = Time × Hourly Rate × Complexity × Placement Difficulty
Hourly rates by experience level (US averages):
- Apprentice: $50-100 per hour
- Junior artist: $100-150 per hour
- Experienced artist: $150-250 per hour
- Senior / well-known artist: $250-400 per hour
- Celebrity or award-winning artist: $400-800+ per hour
Time estimates by tattoo size and detail:
- Tiny (under 2 inches): 30-60 minutes
- Small (2-4 inches): 1-2 hours
- Medium (4-6 inches): 2-4 hours
- Large (6-10 inches): 4-8 hours
- Extra-large (10+ inches): 8-15 hours
- Sleeves / back pieces: 20-50+ hours across multiple sessions
Complexity multipliers:
- Simple line work / lettering: 1.0×
- Traditional / neo-traditional: 1.2×
- Black-and-grey realism: 1.4×
- Color realism / portrait: 1.6×
- Hyper-realism / micro-realism: 1.8×
Placement difficulty multipliers:
- Easy (forearm, calf, thigh): 1.0×
- Standard (upper arm, chest, back): 1.0×
- Difficult (ribs, sternum, neck, hands): 1.2-1.3×
- Very difficult (face, fingers, feet, behind ear): 1.3-1.5×
Shop minimum: Most shops have a minimum charge of $80-150 regardless of size — this covers needles, ink, and setup time.
Tipping: Standard tip is 15-25% of total cost, paid in cash directly to the artist.
Final pricing should always be quoted in person — these estimates are starting points for budgeting.