Salon Pricing Per Minute: How Irish Salons Can Price Services

Why price by the minute?

A salon sells time. A fringe trim, a full head of foils and a set of gels all use chair time, staff time and products, in very different amounts. If you know your cost per minute, you can see straight away whether a 20-minute service at one price earns more or less than a 3-hour service at another.

Step 1: total your monthly costs

Add up everything it costs to run the salon for a month:

rent, commercial rates, service charges
electricity, gas, water, bins and broadband
insurance, booking software, card terminal fees, accountant
laundry, cleaning, repairs, marketing and subscriptions
loan and equipment repayments
wages, including employer's PRSI, holiday pay and any pension contributions
your own pay

Use real figures from bank statements and divide yearly bills by 12. Remember wage costs rise with the national minimum wage, which is €14.15 an hour for workers aged 20 and over from 1 January 2026, and that employees are entitled to paid annual leave and benefit for the ten public holidays.

Step 2: count the minutes you actually sell

This is the step most salons get wrong. Don't use opening hours. Use the minutes your stylists realistically spend with paying clients in a month. Take each stylist's working hours, then knock off gaps between appointments, cleaning, consultations you don't charge for, training and quiet mornings.

Your booking system's reports can help. If you can't get a figure, track a typical fortnight by hand.

Step 3: divide costs by minutes

Example (made-up figures): monthly costs including wages and your pay: €16,000. Three stylists each sell about 100 hours a month = 300 hours = 18,000 minutes.

€16,000 ÷ 18,000 = about €0.89 per minute to break even.

That number is your floor. Every service needs to bring in at least that per minute, plus products, plus profit.

Step 4: price each service

For each service, multiply the minutes it takes (including processing and blow-dry, if the chair is occupied) by your cost per minute. Add the cost of products used, then add your profit margin.

Cut and blow-dry, 60 minutes: 60 × €0.89 = €53.40 + €3 products = €56.40. Add 20% profit = about €68.

Full head foils, 150 minutes: 150 × €0.89 = €133.50 + €20 products = €153.50. Add 20% profit = about €184.

Do this for your top ten services. You will probably find some short services are fine, while some long colour services are underpriced for the time they take.

Step 5: watch processing time

If a stylist can start another client while colour processes, that processing time is not fully "used". Some salons count only the stylist's active minutes plus a share of chair time. Be consistent, and check against your appointment book: if the diary is full but money is tight, your timings are probably too generous to the client.

Step 6: compare with your local market

Now check what nearby salons charge, on their websites and booking pages. If your figure is far above theirs, look at your costs, your sold minutes and your service times before deciding the price is wrong. If it is well below, you may be undercharging. Location, experience, products and the salon's feel all justify different prices.

Step 7: tiers and "from" prices

Stylist levels: a senior stylist's minute is worth more. Price levels let clients choose a budget without you discounting.
"From" prices: use them for services that vary with length or thickness, say what changes the price, and confirm the total before you start.
Show times: listing the duration helps clients see what they're paying for.

Irish consumer law requires clear pricing. The CCPC says clients should be given the total price, or how it will be calculated, before they buy online, so keep your booking page and price list in step. A surprise at the till damages trust more than a higher price.

Review prices regularly

Recalculate your cost per minute at least once a year and whenever a big cost changes, such as a rent review or a minimum wage increase. Give clients a few weeks' notice of price changes on your booking page and social media.

The salon price list templates (€14) include a sheet that works out contribution per hour for each service, plus editable price list designs.

Track it weekly with the free Monday sheet

The Dublin salon owner's Monday sheet tracks till against card takings, no-shows, stock bills and rota gaps on one printable page, so you can see whether your prices are working. Free, no email needed.

Download the free Monday sheet

Frequently asked questions

How do I work out my salon's cost per minute?

Add up your monthly costs, including wages and your own pay, then divide by the number of minutes your stylists actually spend with paying clients in a month.

Should processing time be included in salon prices?

Include it if the chair or stylist is tied up. If the stylist can serve another client during processing, count only part of it, and be consistent.

How often should salon prices be reviewed?

At least once a year, and whenever a major cost changes, such as rent or the national minimum wage.

More guides

General information, not legal, tax or professional advice. Rules change, so check the official sources linked above before you rely on them.

Salon pricing per minute: how Irish salons can price every service