Los Angeles · Pricing · Updated July 2026
How much do nails cost in Los Angeles?
Real ranges from the Melrose–Fairfax–WeHo corridor, why the same service can cost $45 at one salon and $110 three doors down, and when paying more genuinely pays off.
The 2026 price table
Typical ranges for central Los Angeles. Trend-heavy neighborhoods (WeHo, Beverly Grove) sit toward the top; valley and eastside prices run 10–20% lower.
| Service | Typical LA price | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Classic manicure | $25–45 | Polish brand, massage length |
| Gel manicure | $45–65 | Brand of gel, French/chrome add-ons |
| Russian (dry) manicure + gel | $70–120 | Tech's training, appointment length |
| Gel-X extensions (full set) | $85–150 | Length, shape, art |
| Acrylic full set | $60–120 | Length, sculpted vs. tips; fills $45–70 |
| Builder gel / BIAB overlay | $55–90 | Overlay vs. short extension |
| Classic pedicure | $35–55 | Massage time, callus work |
| Spa / deluxe pedicure | $55–90 | Scrubs, masks, extended massage |
| Nail art | $5–25 per nail | Hand-painting time, 3D details |
| Gel removal (with service) | $5–15 | Often waived with a new set |
Why identical-sounding services cost so differently
- Time is the real product. A $110 Russian manicure books a trained tech for two hours; a $45 gel mani books 40 minutes. Divide price by minutes and the gap shrinks fast.
- Product quality is invisible until week two. Premium gel systems cost salons several times more than budget lines — you find out which you got when the set chips (or doesn't).
- Sanitation costs money. Autoclaves, single-use files, and pedicure liners all show up in the price. Suspiciously cheap usually means a corner is being cut somewhere you can't see. Our nail care guide covers what to check.
- Art is labor. Hand-painted micro-art can take longer than the manicure itself — per-nail art pricing is normal, not an upsell.
Cost-per-week: the honest way to compare
A $45 gel manicure that lasts 12 days costs about $26 a week. A $95 Russian manicure worn for 4 weeks costs about $24 a week — with cleaner grow-out the entire time. Long-wear services usually win the math even when the sticker stings; see our Russian manicure guide for why they last.
Tipping in LA
18–20% is standard, cash preferred by most techs. For multi-hour custom art, tip on the full value of the time — that set is your tech's whole afternoon.
Ready to book? Browse our curated LA salon directory to see who specializes in what.