What a tattoo costs in Santiago, and why prices vary so much

The honest answer is that the price depends on four things: size, placement on the body, whether it has colour, and how much detail it carries. Not on how long it "looks like" it will take.

Size is the obvious one, but placement matters more than people expect. Ribs, neck, hands and feet hurt more, the skin behaves differently and the work is slower. The same piece can cost differently depending on where it goes.

Colour adds passes and healing time. A design in black and the same design in colour are not the same job, even if the reference looks alike.

Fine detail is the most underestimated factor. Very thin lines and soft shading demand going slowly, and they also age differently: some designs simply cannot be done well below a certain size.

What to ask before committing: whether the price covers the full session or is charged by the hour, what happens if a second session is needed, and whether touch-ups are included. In our catalogue the price is closed from the start, along with the size and the placements that design works on.