# Haircut Prices **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 5, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928 "2017-05-05T17:22:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/1 "2017-05-05T17:22:40Z")
Most barber shops charge the same for haircuts. The customary price locally is $16 for men with $1 discount for senior citizens. However, a few charge more, and one I know of charges less. If the place calls itself a “hair stylist” it charges more but usually will do more than just cut your hair. It will usually style your hair however you like. What or who governs the price? I’m talking here about just regular barber shops. Is there a union, and if so, why do some places charge different prices? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/2 "2017-05-05T17:57:27Z")
The market governs the price. In my town there is wider disparity of prices, but over time the prices normally settle to be within a $1 or $2 of each other. If one shop wants to try and take share, they will lower their price, but they will lose profits to do this. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/3 "2017-05-05T18:46:29Z")
The prices I see around here in Northern Virginia is $13-15. There’s a lot of military around so you have to be careful what you ask for. ‘Long on top and short on the sides’ can become a high and tight if you’re not watching. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/4 "2017-05-05T19:20:00Z")
One factor that keeps the price high is the requirement for hair dressers to have cosmetology licenses. [Planet Money did a story](http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2012/06/22/155596305/episode-381-why-its-illegal-to-braid-hair-without-a-license) about this. It’s something the cosmetology industry itself lobbied for, to protect themselves against untrained/unlicensed hair dressers who may try to undercut their prices. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/5 "2017-05-05T19:24:14Z")
Back in high school it was Five buck Frank. Now if I can can get a buzz for $15-20 I am happy. Inflation sucks, but that is the way of the universe. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/6 "2017-05-05T20:01:26Z")
I got to “Fred’s U-City Barber” …Fred charges 16$…good old fashioned haircut and an edging with hot lather and a straight edge. I flip him a twenty and a one and call it a day. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/7 "2017-05-05T21:48:40Z")
Color to cover my gray runs me another $30. What a drag it is getting old. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/8 "2017-05-05T21:56:33Z")
$10 for a haircut and $5 for a beard trim, twice a year. 🙂 That’s at the barber shop on base – no idea what it would cost out in town. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/9 "2017-05-05T22:04:09Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Color to cover my gray runs me another $30. What a drag it is getting old. Pfft. Just be glad you still have hair. 😛 On the plus side, I don’t spend any money at all on haircuts. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/10 "2017-05-05T22:18:30Z")
I too, don’t pay for haircuts, but… 15$ seems to be the norm, plus tip. I cut my hair about 10 times a year. So I learned how to cut it myself and for it to be even, and look really good. Only ever had compliments. Saves me a ton of money. My hair (and nails for that matter) grow really fast. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/11 "2017-05-05T22:23:53Z")
Around here it’s $16. Several decades ago there was an actual barber’s union, which was the reason why all barber shops were closed on Monday. Now it’s hard enough to find someone under the age of 60 who actually calls himself a “barber.” ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/12 "2017-05-05T23:04:45Z")
This is where near bald people like me have it made. Once a month ie so I’ll take an electric trimmer to my head and cut off what’s left and in good to go for another month. Sigh, I miss hair. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/13 "2017-05-05T23:42:56Z")
It’s about $22 CDN for me, plus tip, which is in line with the $16ish US. I get 4 haircuts a year. My last one was the third week of January, and I can tell I’m overdue. Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/14 "2017-05-05T23:53:59Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > $10 for a haircut and $5 for a beard trim, twice a year. 🙂 That’s at the barber shop on base – no idea what it would cost out in town. that’s about what it costs when I quit going … and my aunt just does it herself since I just get it all shaved off … But you know how hard it is for a barber to give ya a shave now days ? …almost impossible … ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/15 "2017-05-06T02:13:59Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > that’s about what it costs when I quit going … and my aunt just does it herself since I just get it all shaved off … But you know how hard it is for a barber to give ya a shave now days ? …almost impossible … You can get a good ol’ fashion straight edge shave at “Fred’s U-City barber” ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/16 "2017-05-06T07:55:00Z")
Nothing says trust like an underpayed stranger with a very fine blade to your neck. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/17 "2017-05-06T12:23:13Z")
I actually go to a place that’s $8 for a men’s haircut. Lots of $11-$12 places around. (These are all cash only. Gotta avoid those credit card fees.) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/18 "2017-05-06T14:06:02Z")
I get mine cut by the military barber at [AFIT](https://www.afit.edu/). She charges $7.50, but I always give her $15. I once heard that the price of a haircut is one of the best indicators of inflation. This is because the length of time to perform a haircut has remained constant over the decades. ---
**Author:** ![Turble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Turble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turble)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/19 "2017-05-06T14:07:51Z")
My barber recently turned 83 years old. He charges $13 (won’t accept a tip) and always mentions that a haircut is not worth $13 but that is what he has to charge to cover the expenses to keep the shop open. He rambles about very few young people getting a barber license these days; everybody gets a cosmetology license. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928/20 "2017-05-06T14:14:31Z")
They draw you in with a low quote for a haircut. Then, they explain that if you want them _all_ cut it’s more. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haircut-prices/785928.md?page=2)