That's where we are now. Women looking for a solid cut in SF are finding that the "nicer" salons clock in around $200 — for a cut, no color — and that $100 has become the sweet spot for anyone who wants quality without a second mortgage. As one local put it perfectly: "I'm just flabbergasted we live in a world where haircuts are now over $100, and $100 is the low end."
Same, friend. Same.
Now, to be fair, this isn't entirely the salons' fault. San Francisco's cost of doing business is punishing. Commercial rents, insurance, licensing, and the endless regulatory overhead the city layers onto small businesses all get baked into the price of your blowout. When you make it expensive to operate, those costs don't just vanish — they show up on your receipt.
The good news is that San Franciscans are resourceful bargain hunters when they need to be. Spots like One Up Salon near the Haight, where one resident says she gets an excellent cut on her long curly hair for $35 (no shampoo, but who's complaining?), prove that affordable options exist if you're willing to skip the sparkling water and ambient playlist. Other locals swear by places in SoMa, the Mission, and Dogpatch where skilled stylists charge $75–$110.
The broader point here isn't really about haircuts. It's about a city where the baseline cost of everything has drifted so far from normal that we've lost the plot entirely. When a hundred-dollar haircut feels like a deal, maybe it's time to ask harder questions about why it costs so much to simply exist here — and whether any of the policies driving those costs are actually making life better for the people paying them.
Your hair looks great, by the way. It better, for that price.




