Best Tattoo Shop in Bali: How to Choose the Right Studio
Bali has more tattoo studios than almost anywhere else in Southeast Asia, and the gap between the best and the worst is wider here than it is at home. Walk down Jalan Legian and you will pass a studio charging 400,000 rupiah and another charging ten times that, both advertising the same thing. This guide is how to tell them apart. It is written by people who have been tattooing in Kuta since 2010 and have fixed a lot of holiday tattoos that went wrong.
The four things that separate a good Bali tattoo studio from a cheap one
Needles come out of a sealed pouch in front of you, every time.
The ink is a reputable, professional brand, imported.
The artist you are booking has that specific style in their portfolio, not the studio's portfolio, the artist's.
The quoted price makes sense. Tattooing well takes time, and time costs money anywhere in the world. The better the artist, the more his time costs.
Hygiene: what to actually check
This is the part travellers skip and the part that matters most. Indonesia does not regulate tattoo studios the way Australia, the UK or New Zealand do, so the standard is whatever the studio sets for itself.
Ask to see three things before you put down a deposit. First, the needle. It should be a pre-sterilised cartridge, opened in front of you from a sealed blister pack that still carries its expiry date and sterilisation indicator, never taken from an open tray. Second, the barrier protection. Film on the machine, the clip cord, the bottles and the lamp handle, changed between clients, and fresh gloves put on in front of you. Third, the ink. A reputable professional brand, decanted into single-use caps, never a communal pot.
A studio that is happy to show you all three is a studio that has nothing to hide. One that gets defensive has told you everything you need to know.
Match the artist to the style, not the studio to the style
The single most common mistake is booking a studio on its overall reputation and being assigned whoever is free. Tattooing is not one skill. The person who does flawless fine line botanical work is often not the person to do a colour realism sleeve, and vice versa.
Before you book, ask which artist will be doing your piece, and ask to see that artist's healed work in the style you want. Healed matters, because fresh tattoos all look sharp. Any studio worth booking keeps galleries by style so you can do exactly this.
What a tattoo should cost in Bali
Bali is genuinely cheaper than Australia or Europe, mostly because overheads and wages are lower. It is not cheaper because the work is faster, and anyone offering a full sleeve in a single afternoon is telling you something about how that sleeve will look in a couple of years.
Most reputable studios price by the hour or by the piece after seeing the design. Expect a consultation, a deposit, and a quote that reflects the hours involved. A price far below everyone else usually means one of three things: an apprentice doing the work, rushed work, reused or diluted ink, or corners cut on sterilisation. Occasionally all three.
Here is what we charge, so you have a real reference point rather than a vague one.
Rupiah | Approx. AUD | |
Minimum charge | from 1,400,000 | from $110 |
Per hour | 1,500,000 to 1,700,000 | $120 to $135 |
Half day, 4 hours | 5,400,000 to 6,000,000 | $430 to $480 |
Full day, 8 hours | 9,500,000 to 10,500,000 | $760 to $840 |
Small, simple piece | 1,400,000 to 2,000,000 | $110 to $160 |
Forearm half sleeve | 15,000,000 to 19,000,000 | $1,200 to $1,520 |
Full sleeve | 27,500,000 to 41,500,000 | $2,200 to $3,320 |
A deposit of 3,000,000 rupiah secures each day booked, or a smaller portion for smaller pieces. Your final price is confirmed after the consultation and before any needle touches skin, never after.
Booking by the day is cheaper than booking by the hour. Eight hours at the hourly rate would come to 12 to 13.6 million rupiah. The same eight hours booked as a full day is 9.5 to 10.5 million. That is why larger pieces are quoted by the day, and why a sleeve is better booked in full days than stretched across single hours.
Prices current as of October 2026. Australian dollar figures are approximate, at around 12,500 rupiah to the dollar.
Where to look: the main areas
Kuta and Legian have the longest-established studios on the island, including most of the ones that have been running a decade or more. It is also where the cheapest walk-in shops cluster, so the range is widest here.
Seminyak skews toward higher-priced studios aimed at the resort crowd. Good work, generally higher rates for the same hours.
Canggu has grown fast with the expat and digital-nomad influx. Lots of newer studios, lots of fine line and small-tattoo specialists, quality varies with how long the studio has been open.
Ubud is quieter and has a stronger traditional and Balinese-motif presence, though fewer large-scale custom studios.
Red flags
No consultation offered, just a price and a chair.
The portfolio is all fresh photos, nothing healed.
Stock images or other artists' work on the studio's social media.
Prices quoted before anyone has seen or discussed the design.
Reluctance to name which artist will do the work.
No aftercare conversation before you leave.
Questions worth asking before you book
Which artist will be doing my tattoo, and can I see their healed work in this style?
Are needles single-use, and will the pouch be opened in front of me?
Is the machine and workstation covered with fresh barrier film for each client?
What ink do you use, and where is it from?
What does aftercare look like, and what do you give me to take away?
What happens if I want a touch-up?
About Two Guns Tattoo Bali
We have been tattooing in Legian since 2010. Single-use needles opened in front of you, hospital-grade sterilisation, imported professional ink, and an aftercare run-through before you leave. Every time, for every piece, from a small first tattoo to a full back piece. Our artists specialise rather than generalise, so you are matched to the person who does your style, and you can see their work by style before you commit.
Walk-ins are welcome. For larger work, book ahead.
Frequently asked questions
How much should you pay for a tattoo in Bali?
At Two Guns, the minimum charge is 1,400,000 rupiah (about A$110) and hourly work runs 1,500,000 to 1,700,000 rupiah (about A$120 to A$135). A forearm half sleeve typically lands between 15 and 19 million rupiah. Bali is cheaper than Australia or Europe because overheads are lower, not because the work is quicker, so a quote far below everyone else is a warning, not a bargain.
Is it safe to get a tattoo in Bali?
At a studio that uses single-use needles, full barrier protection and sealed professional ink, yes, as safe as anywhere. Indonesia does not regulate studios the way many home countries do, so the checks are yours to make. The three above take about five minutes.
Why are Bali tattoos so cheap?
Rent, wages and overheads are a fraction of what they are in Sydney or London. That is the legitimate reason. The illegitimate reasons are reused needles, diluted ink and inexperienced artists, which is why price alone is a poor way to choose.
Do I need to book ahead?
For small work, walk-ins are possible but not guaranteed. We strongly recommend booking ahead. Good artists in Bali are booked out weeks in advance during peak season, and a rushed large piece is the one you regret.
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