What are fixed costs in a salon?

Fixed costs are expenses that stay the same regardless of how many clients you see: rent, insurance, loan repayments, salaried staff, software subscriptions, rates and standing utility charges. These must be paid even if the salon has zero clients.

What are variable costs per service?

Variable costs increase with each client: product used, commission paid, laundry, consumables (foils, gloves, towels), card processing fees. Calculate these per service by tracking actual usage over a month and dividing by client numbers.

How do I reduce my break-even point?

Either reduce fixed costs (negotiate rent, switch suppliers) or increase the contribution margin per client (raise prices, reduce product waste, upsell higher-value services). Even a small price increase across all services can significantly reduce the break-even point.

CutCalcs

Break-Even Calculator — Salon Costs & Targets

Calculate how many clients or services you need each month to cover all salon running costs.

Monthly Fixed Costs

Rent, insurance, salaries, etc.

Average Service Price

Variable Cost Per Service

Products, commission, consumables

Working Days Per Month

How We Calculate This

Break-even analysis shows the minimum number of clients needed to cover all costs. Each client contributes a margin (price minus variable cost) that goes towards paying fixed costs.

The formula

Contribution margin = Service price - Variable cost per service

Break-even clients = Fixed costs / Contribution margin

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators

Pricing Calculator

Calculate service prices based on product cost, time, overheads and profit margin.

Chair Rental Calculator

Work out fair chair rental rates based on salon costs and revenue potential.

Product Markup Calculator

Calculate retail product pricing with your desired markup percentage.

Commission Calculator

Work out stylist commission payments based on service revenue and tier structures.

Revenue Per Chair Calculator

Calculate average revenue generated per styling chair in your salon.

Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always perform a strand test before chemical services.