When someone is planning to get a tattoo, the hardest decision is choosing the design. Well you cannot blame him or her, the design will be permanent. Then the next question will always be “How much does it cost?”.
If you do an online search, many people are asking this question but never get the answer. The reason is simple, there is no direct answer. This is not like a product that is displayed in the grocery store’s shelves. There is no fixed tattoo pricing guide on a design. 

The price for a singular tattoo is determined by several factors. Here are the factors listed in no particular order;

Size of the tattoo
The main factor among all tattoo shops is that they determine the tattoo prices by size.
This one needs no explanation. The bigger the tattoo, the longer time it is required to do them.

Placement of the tattoo
On some places on the human body, the tattoo artist have to be extra careful on sensitive places such as around the navel and those with little flesh such as the ankle. They will work slower on those areas and for shops that charges by the hour, that could only mean higher prices.

Complexity of the design
Just like the size of the tattoo, the higher the complexity of any design would bring the work time higher. Complex design are those that has a lot of shades and colors.

Design Source
Some people wants to have their own design which means something to them. For these requests, the artists will hear out the customer’s description and they will draw on a piece of paper for them to see. The amount of time required to come up with the design is also taken into account for the final price of the tattoo. For a cheaper option, have a look at the shop’s design catalogue and ask for minor modification. Since they already have the template ready, they will not charge you extra.

Tattoo Artists Portfolio/Recognition
Among the tattoo artists community, some are more recognized more than others. It could be because of their seniority or the people that they have worked with, such as celebrities and athletes who in return give them some good recommendations. Due to their demand and recognition, they will charge higher than the rest. So if you want the best to work on your tattoo, be prepared to pay more.

With that being said, the following are the average tattoo prices that you might encounter in a tattoo shop. However please bear in mind of the factors mentioned above and that the tattoo price list are finalised by the artist himself.

A small tattoo usually placed on the wrist or ankle will cost somewhere around $50 to $200. A medium tattoo that is usually seen on the forearm, leg or upper-back can cost from $200 and up to $500. While large tattoos as those covering the whole back or the full leg can cost from $500 up to $3000.

Last but not least, do not go to a tattoo shop just because they are cheap. Find out from their other customers for some honest feedback. Do an online search too.