Tattoo & Piercing Prices in Halifax

$150 to $250 an hour, depending on the artist. Large or highly detailed custom work can cost more per hour. Consultations are always free. Below: size brackets with typical hours, and the things that make a piece take longer.

Free consultation. No deposit yet. 5.0 from 490+ Google reviews

Line illustration of a price tag beside an hourglass

Tattoo prices by size

Small tattoo
$150+about half an hour to 2 hours

Where most first tattoos start. Simple, minimal, done in one sitting.

  • Up to 3 inches
  • Simple linework or a symbol
  • Single session
Medium tattoo
$500+about 3 to 4 hours

Detailed work and medium coverage pieces.

  • Up to 6 inches
  • Detailed design with shading
  • Typically a single session
  • Custom design consultation
Large tattoo
$1000+5 hours and up

Sleeves, back pieces and full coverage.

  • Over 6 inches
  • Complex, multi-faceted design
  • Multiple sessions
  • Extended design consultation
Typical time in the chair, by sizeThe hours from the three sizes above, on one scale.
  • Small, $150+about half an hour to 2 hours
  • Medium, $500+about 3 to 4 hours
  • Large, $1000+5 hours and up
Hourly rate$150 to $250 an hour, depending on the artist
Custom drawing$100 to $200 when you ask the artist to design the piece for you; it comes off the tattoo price. How a custom design is made
Piercing$60 to $135; see the piercing price list

Every tattoo: a free consultation, and a complimentary touch-up when genuinely necessary (conditions apply). All prices are before tax.

What a premium custom piece really buys

Not sure which one yours is? Send the idea, size and placement and you get a realistic range back. Free consultation. No deposit yet.

Get an estimate

Pricing is based on time; your artist confirms the estimate and the deposit at the consultation, before you book.

What pieces like these cost

Five finished pieces by Vivek Divine, with the sessions each one took and a general estimate for a piece like it.

PieceSessionsEstimate
Salamander and mushroom
Forearm
1 session$500
Anubis
Leg
1 session$650
Colour unicorn
Thigh
1 session$1000
Sea turtle
Forearm
2 sessions$2000
Kobe Bryant portrait
Forearm
2 sessions$2600
About these estimates

Even the same design can cost a little more or a little less from one person to the next, because no two sessions go exactly the same way.

Our estimates have sometimes been off, so for your own piece we give our best estimate as a range, from a low figure to a high one. It is always smart to allow a little extra time, just in case.

Have a budget in mind? Tell us at the start. We appreciate it, and it is the best way to avoid a price surprise at the end.

★★★★★

The attention to detail is insane. Vivek took my rough idea and turned it into a masterpiece. … Professional, talented, and worth every penny.

Google review, tattoo by Vivek

What changes the price

Anything that changes how long a piece takes changes what it costs.

The design

Size, detail, and how much linework and shading it needs.

Placement

Some areas of the body are slower and more demanding to work on than others.

Colour against black and grey

Colour packing takes longer over the same area.

Cover-ups and reworks

They have to work around what is already there.

How the session goes

Breaks and pauses are fine and never change how you are treated; pricing is by time, so they simply count toward it.

How many sessions

Every sitting carries the same set-up overhead.

How to keep your session short

Genuinely optional. We do not mind if you change your mind about placement, need extra breaks, or arrive unshaved. It will never change how you are treated. But pricing is time-based, so here is where the time goes.

Come shaved

It saves shaving time and gets the stencil on sooner.

Know where you want it

Placement decisions are the most common reason stencilling takes longer than expected.

Sit as still as you comfortably can

Eat beforehand, sleep well, and tell your artist when you need a pause rather than tensing through it.

Why two long sessions beat six short ones

Every session carries the same fixed overhead: setting up the station, shaving, the stencil, cleaning and bandaging. Six sessions pays that six times instead of twice, and an artist’s flow builds within a session, so hour four is more productive than hour one.

Longer is not always possible, and we will not pretend otherwise. We would rather tell you we are stopping at hour five than push to hour eight and hand you work that does not match the rest of the piece. Quality is the part you are left wearing.

Payment and booking

We acceptDebit, credit cards including American Express, Apple Pay and tap, e-Transfer, PayPal and cash
DepositSecures your appointment and starts the design. Non-refundable, non-transferable to another person, and it goes toward your final price
ReschedulingWith at least 7 days’ notice your deposit moves to the new date. Short-notice changes need a new deposit
Touch-upsComplimentary when genuinely necessary, as assessed by your artist. Conditions apply; not guaranteed on fingers, hands and feet

Before you pay a deposit

Your artist confirms the amount and how to pay it: e-Transfer, card, or cash at the studio. Before you send any payment, make sure you are dealing with Tattoo Lab itself. If anything feels off, call 902-448-2211 first.

No payment plans, and no deposit until you have a date you are happy with.

Pricing: common questions

How much does a tattoo cost in Halifax?

Pricing is by time, $150 to $250 an hour depending on the artist. Large or highly detailed custom work can cost more per hour. The three size brackets above show where most pieces land, and the final figure depends on size, detail, placement and how many sessions the piece needs.

Is $200 an hour a lot for a tattoo?

It sits inside our range. Tattoo time here is $150 to $250 an hour, depending on the artist, and the hours your piece needs matter as much as the rate: a lower rate on a piece that takes twice as long costs you more. If your budget is fixed, tell us: a smaller or simpler design fits it better than a rushed one. Your artist confirms the estimate before you leave a deposit.

How big is a $500 tattoo?

It depends on the hours and the artist’s rate, $150 to $250 an hour. Medium pieces on our price list, up to about 6 inches with shading, usually take 3 to 4 hours and sit in the $500+ bracket. Tell us your idea and your budget, and your artist says honestly what fits.

Do you charge for a consultation?

No. Consultations are always free, and there is no pressure to book on the day.

How does the deposit work, and does it come off the price?

A deposit is taken when you book and applied toward the final cost of your tattoo. It is not an extra charge. The amount varies by tattoo and appointment, and your artist confirms it when you book.

Do touch-ups cost extra?

We offer a complimentary touch-up when it is genuinely necessary, as judged by your artist, for example uneven healing or areas that did not retain ink. Conditions apply and there is no fixed time window.

Can I get a price before I come in?

Yes. Send your idea, rough size, placement and any reference photos through the booking form and we will come back with a realistic range. Your artist firms it up at the consultation, once the design is clear.

Should I tip my tattoo artist?

Tipping is your choice and never expected, and it never changes how you are treated. If you want to leave a tip, you can give it in cash, by card or by e-Transfer, and all of it goes to the person who did your tattoo or piercing.

Get a real estimate

Send your idea, rough size and placement. You get a realistic range first, and a firmer estimate once your artist has seen the design.

Included with every piercing

Implant-grade titanium jewellery

The standard material for a fresh piercing. Here it is part of the price, not an upgrade offered once you are already in the chair.

  • In the price, not on the bill. Every placement goes in with implant-grade titanium, at the price shown.
  • Chosen for your placement. Your piercer picks the size and shape that suits your anatomy and stays comfortable while it heals.
  • Upgrades are your call. Decorative ends or gold cost more. Your piercer puts the pieces in front of you and tells you the full price first.
  • Changing it later. Once it has healed you can switch to other jewellery. Ask your piercer first; replacement jewellery is priced separately.

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