If you have priced a sleeve or a back piece at home lately, you already know the numbers can climb fast. With the cost of living where it is, plenty of Aussies and Kiwis are asking a fair question before they book a trip. Is it actually cheaper to get tattooed in Bali, and by how much?
Here is a straight comparison using published Australian price guides and our own Bali tattoo prices, which are listed in full in Australian dollars.
What tattoos cost in Australia
Most Australian studios charge by the hour or by the day. Airtasker’s 2026 cost guide puts standard artists at around $150 to $180 an hour and senior artists at $200 to $250 an hour, with Sydney, Melbourne and Perth sitting at the top end. One Perth studio, Arcane Tattoo, lists its general shop rate at $200 an hour.
That same Airtasker guide gives rough totals of $1,200 to $2,000 or more for a full sleeve and $1,200 to $2,500 or more for a back piece. Custom work from in-demand artists goes much higher. Australian artist Mikael Ramgard quotes day rates of $2,000 to $3,000 and says most sleeves take four to ten full days, which works out anywhere from $8,000 to $25,000.
What the same work costs in Bali
We publish fixed prices by placement, so you know the number before you sit down. These are our standard prices in Australian dollars, black and grey first, then colour.
| Piece | Black and grey | Colour |
|---|---|---|
| Full arm sleeve | $1,500 | $1,650 |
| Half arm sleeve | $850 | $950 |
| Full leg sleeve | $1,650 | $1,800 |
| Full back or chest | $1,800 | $2,000 |
| Small piece, up to 15cm | $300 | $350 |
Enquire through our form or by WhatsApp before you come in and every one of those prices drops 15%. A full arm sleeve in black and grey comes in at $1,275, and a full back piece at $1,530.
Where the savings are biggest
Small tattoos cost roughly the same in both countries once you allow for studio minimums, so a single small piece is rarely worth flying for on price alone. Big work is where the numbers move. A sleeve, a full leg or a back piece is priced by the hour or day at home, and the hours add up quickly. In Bali you pay one published price for the whole piece, finished while you are here.
Depending on the studio you compare with, the difference on a sleeve or back piece can run from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.
If you are already planning a Bali holiday, that saving can go towards your flights, your villa or a few more days away. If you are travelling as a group, our villa tattoo service brings the artist to where you are staying, at the same tattoo prices plus a flat travel fee.
What to check before you choose on price
A cheap tattoo you regret is the most expensive one you will ever get. Whatever studio you pick in Bali, check these before you book:
- New needles opened in front of you, and a clean, sterile setup
- Quality inks, such as American or Japanese brands
- Real healed work from the artist who will do your piece
- A clear price agreed before anything touches your skin
- Proper aftercare advice for tropical heat and humidity
Our guide to choosing a good tattoo artist in Bali goes through each of these in more detail.
The bottom line
The saving grows with the size of the piece. Sleeves, legs and back pieces are where Bali makes the biggest difference, especially next to hourly or day rates at busy Australian studios. Check our full Bali tattoo prices, then send us an enquiry with a rough idea of what you want. You will get a real price, less 15%, before you commit to anything.
Thinking about getting tattooed in Bali?
Send us your idea and we'll come back with a price, the right artist and times that fit your trip. Enquiries through the site get 15% off our studio and villa prices, and there's no obligation to book anything.