When life gets crazy, get under the needle — that is, one attached to jewelry or an ink cartridge. While the idea of body modifications like piercings and tattoos can seem spontaneous, they often entail a complex web of weighing out priorities between quality, location, and your budget. Luckily, us three Lifestyle writers have weighed them for you: Here are our favorite San Diego piercing and tattoo shops, ranked by how much they may hurt your pocket.

Piercings

For $, Hannah recommends EC Tattoo & Body Piercing

If you want piercings at consistent rates, you’re going to have to make the trek to El Cajon. The piercers may be used to seeing students from San Diego State University, but don’t be afraid to show a Triton face to the laid-back crew at EC Tattoo & Body Piercing. I got my tragus done for $40 and my industrial for $70 — both with basic titanium jewelry included. Plus, with just how quickly EC can get you in and out, walk-ins feel almost encouraged. Each of my visits lasted 15 minutes tops, which I think makes up for the three-hour round trip on the trolley. 

For $$, Maddie recommends Studs 

Why go to El Cajon when the Studs at Westfield UTC is only a six-minute trolley ride away? Studs’ services begin at a flat rate of $40 for a single-ear piercing, but for $70 and some Ibuprofen you can get four ear piercings! The only drawback? These rates don’t include jewelry. Still, it offers a diverse range of studs, from $80 to $120! It takes both appointments and walk-ins — though if you are doing a walk-in, I recommend going on a weekday to avoid a long wait time. On both my visits to Studs, I’ve walked out satisfied with my new piercing by saving on both the cost and time spent on transportation

For $$$, Camille recommends Enigma Professional Piercing

If you’re like me and have trauma from sketchy piercing shops, Enigma Piercing in both Pacific Beach and North Park, as well as the sister location Hummingbird by Enigma in La Jolla, are great options. Expect to pay up to $100 for a service like ear curation — not including jewelry —  but rest easy knowing the shop uses only implant-grade materials and that its piercers are all members of the Association of Professional Piercers. Enigma takes walk-ins, but don’t expect fast service without an appointment. I’ve gotten bar-length changes for my double helix for $20 each, purchased and installed fine jewelry for my nostril for $80, and had a floating navel pierced for $80, all with levels of cleanliness and attention to detail from the piercers that you can’t find anywhere else. 

Tattoos

For $, Hannah recommends Absolute Tattoo & Piercing Co.

I found this tattoo parlor in Clairemont Mesa on a whim — it’s not necessarily the absolute cheapest out there, but it provides the kind of in-and-out service that merits mention. I like it because, frankly, the artists shut up, listen, and ink. That’s a must-have for stencil work when you already know what you want. Many high-end artists turn down customer’s visions or try to morph them into something else entirely, whereas the artists at Absolute keep the chatter to a minimum. They’re diligent enough to offer precautionary rundowns, like, “Will your career allow you to have a hand tattoo?” and, “Color tattoos fade over time,” but I’ve always gotten the final say. Parts of the linework did fade, but I’m just happy that Absolute realized my visions of a 4-inch black-and-grey eagle for $200 and a 6-inch colored henna for $150. 

For $$, Maddie recommends Jonajera Tattoo

Located in Chula Vista, Jonajera is a local Filipino tattoo artist who specializes in realistic and darker tattoos. A quick visit to his Instagram page will tell you whether his tattoos are your vibe. If you scroll back three years, you may even find me! Perhaps it’s because we share the same culture, but even with my arm twisted behind my back for my tattoo, he managed to make me feel comfortable. It was only my second tattoo, and he made sure to balance what I wanted with what would actually look good. In the end, I was more than happy with the result and his additional shading. The 3-inch tattoo of my siblings’ birth flowers in a bouquet, as priceless as it is to me, cost a pretty $250. 

For $$$, Camille recommends @nintattooyou 

Currently booking out of a private studio in North Park, Nina is a local San Diego artist who gave me my first tattoo at 19 years old. She creates a warm and comfortable environment for clients, perfect for anyone nervous about their first time getting some ink. If you want a bold black tattoo with fluid lines, feminine florals, or something specifically drawn for you, I would definitely reach out with an idea, but it may cost you around $400. 

What are you waiting for? Go get that personal flair!