How to price services in a Dubai beauty salon

Start from cost per hour

Divide monthly fixed costs by booked hours to get the overhead cost of one booked hour. In the illustrative example from our unit economics guide, 110,000 AED of fixed costs over 1,040 booked hours is about 106 AED per hour. Every service must cover that hour plus commission and materials.

• Materials per service: count them once, properly, for each service
• Commission or the master's cost per hour
• Overhead per booked hour, which falls as utilisation grows
• Target margin on top

Check the market, not the cheapest competitor

• Compare with salons of the same positioning in the same area: mall, community, street
• Look at the full offer: duration, brands used, level of master, ambience
• Price below the market only if you have a clear reason, such as a new location that needs to fill

Positioning and price levels by master

Clients in Dubai accept different prices for different levels of master. A junior, senior and top price for the same service lets you keep new masters busy and pay strong ones well without discounting the brand.

Packages, memberships and promotions

• Packages and memberships bring cash forward but are a liability: services you still owe
• Promotions work best on off-peak hours and first visits, not on the busiest days
• Gift cards: track them in the system, not in a notebook
• Bundles such as manicure plus pedicure raise the ticket per visit

How commission and discounts change the margin

If commission is paid on the list price, every discount comes only out of the salon's share. Example with illustrative numbers: service 200 AED, commission 30% (60), materials 20, the salon keeps 120 before overhead. A 20% discount on the price with commission still on the list price leaves the salon 80, a third less. Write in the contract whether commission is calculated after discounts and net of VAT. If you are VAT registered, consumer prices are normally shown including VAT: check the rules with your accountant.

How we help

We review your price list against cost per hour and commission plans, align commission rules with pricing, and set up CRM so every discount and package is visible. Recruitment fee: one month's salary of the placed employee, 50% when they start and 50% after probation, with no full prepayment and a free replacement within 2 months. Consulting and CRM projects are priced after a free review, and the first 15-minute call is free.