How Much Does It Cost to Open a Nail Salon? 2026 Equipment Prices
Search "how much does it cost to open a nail salon" and the totals you find disagree by tens of thousands of dollars. Most of them will not match your salon anyway, because the two costs that decide your budget are local: the space you lease and how much plumbing it needs.
The part we can price exactly is the equipment. We sell pedicure spas, manicure tables and the rest of the nail salon floor, so every number below comes from our live catalog, not a survey. Use it to put a hard figure on the equipment line, then build the rest of your budget around it.
- A fully equipped pedicure station starts at about $2,140. A manicure station starts at about $640.
- A complete 4-pedicure, 4-manicure floor is $10,895 as a package, with curbside freight included.
- Plumbing is the hidden cost. Know your drain height before you order, or choose a non-plumbing chair for a suite.
- Lease, build-out, licenses and insurance depend on your city. Price them locally before you sign.
The short answer
Here is what a few common setups cost to equip, using commercial equipment from our catalog:
| Setup | Equipment cost | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Solo suite: 1 pedicure + 1 manicure | About $3,000 | Plumbed pedicure spa, stool, trolley, manicure table, two chairs, lamp, UV sterilizer, towel warmer |
| Solo suite, no plumbing | About $1,730 | Non-plumbing pedicure chair instead of a plumbed spa |
| Small salon: 4 pedicure + 4 manicure | $10,895 | Our Nail Salon Build-Out Package |
| Small salon, front of house added | About $12,660 | The package plus a nail dryer table, reception desk and polish rack |
All prices are from our catalog on 19 September 2026, before tax. Package prices include curbside freight; freight on individual items is calculated at checkout. Want the equipment line for a different station count? Our salon build-out cost calculator prices nail salons from the same catalog.
Pedicure spas: the biggest equipment line
Pedicure spas are where most of a nail salon's equipment money goes. Across the 33 pedicure spas in our catalog, adult spas run from $1,988 to $4,000, and 30 of the 33 sit between $2,000 and $3,000. A kids' spa, the Buttercup, is $1,497.
What moves the price:
- The chair top. The same spa base is often sold with different massage chair tops. The top you choose changes the massage functions and the price.
- The basin and jets. Basin material, size and jet type (including pipeless jets, which have no internal pipes for water to sit in) all differ by model.
- Finish. Color and fixture finish options, such as gold versus chrome, change the look and sometimes the price.
Each spa also needs a pedicure stool for the technician ($46 to $132 in our catalog) and usually a pedicure trolley or cart for tools and polish ($67 to $240).
Plan on about $2,140 per pedicure station at the entry level: a GEOM I spa ($1,988), a HUGO pedicure stool ($83) and an ALERA pedi trolley ($72). Our pedicure chair buying guide walks through choosing a model.
Plumbing: the cost that is not on the price tag
A plumbed pedicure spa needs hot and cold water supply and a drain at each station. If the space was already a nail salon, those lines may already be where you need them. If it was a clothing store, your plumber is running new lines to every spa, and it can be one of the largest lines in the budget.
Two ways to control it:
- Know your drain height before you order. Spas drain by gravity. If the drain connection sits higher than the spa's outlet, for example in a wall, you need a discharge pump. Our discharge pump kit with timer control box is $250 per station. It is much cheaper to plan for it than to discover it on install day.
- Consider a non-plumbing chair for a suite. A chair with no supply or drain lines is the realistic option for many salon suites and rented rooms where you cannot run pipe.
No plumbing? PediPlush Lounge, $720
The PediPlush Lounge non-plumbing pedicure chair needs no supply or drain lines, so you can offer pedicures in a room where running pipe is not an option.
Send them the plumbing requirements for your exact spa model from its product page. It is the easiest way to avoid a change order on install day.
Manicure stations
Manicure stations cost far less per station than pedicure spas. The 21 manicure tables in our catalog run from $80 for a compact table to $1,200 for a triple-station Sonoma table, with the middle of the range around $400. A station also needs a technician stool ($54 to $108), a client chair ($105 to $228) and a task lamp ($41 to $50).
Plan on about $640 per manicure station: a DREXEL tufted single table ($360), a DELIA technician stool ($108), a DELIA client chair ($132) and a KEEN LED lamp ($41). That is the same table and seating used in our nail salon package.
One upgrade worth pricing early is ventilation. Nail products release vapors and dust, and OSHA's guidance for nail salons covers ventilation and chemical exposure for your staff. A table with built-in extraction, like the NAPA above, is one way to address it at the station. Our manicure table buying guide compares the options.
What a 4 + 4 nail salon costs to equip
Four pedicure spas and four manicure stations is the floor we package as the Nail Salon Build-Out Package, $10,895:
| Qty | Item |
|---|---|
| 4 | GEOM I pedicure spas by Mayakoba |
| 4 | HUGO pedicure stools |
| 4 | DREXEL tufted manicure tables |
| 4 | DELIA technician stools |
| 4 | DELIA client chairs |
| 1 | DERMALOGIC 60L UV sterilizer |
| Package price, curbside freight included: $10,895 |
It ships as one consolidated freight delivery. Every package can be adjusted: swap spa models, change colors or add stations, and we will send an itemized quote.
What the package does not include, and what you will likely add:
| Item | Price range in our catalog |
|---|---|
| Nail dryer table | $1,083 |
| Reception desk | $475 to $2,625 |
| Polish and powder rack | $38 to $1,200 |
| Towel warmer | $128 to $400 |
| Additional UV sterilizers | $84 to $288 |
| Autoclave sterilizer | $2,400 |
| Discharge pump kits, if your drains need them | $250 per spa |
Adding a nail dryer table ($1,083), an entry reception desk ($475) and a SONOMA polish rack ($209) brings a 4 + 4 floor to about $12,660.
The rest of your nail salon budget
Equipment is the part of the budget you can pin down from a catalog. These lines depend on your market, so get local quotes for each before you commit to a lease:
- Lease deposit and rent. Varies widely by city and by street.
- Build-out. Plumbing to each pedicure station, electrical for dryers and lamps, ventilation, flooring and finishes. A former nail salon saves the most here.
- Licenses. Your state board of cosmetology sets the salon license and individual license requirements. Check its sanitation rules for pedicure spas before you choose your equipment.
- Insurance. General and professional liability, plus property cover for your equipment.
- Opening supplies. Polish, gels, tools, disposables and retail stock.
- Working capital. Enough to cover rent, payroll and supplies for the first few months while your book fills.
Larger orders can be quoted and paid by invoice, and the payment options available to you are shown at checkout. Ask about payment when you request a quote.
Your next steps
- Decide your station count and whether your space can take plumbed spas.
- Price your equipment line with the cost calculator or start from the 4 + 4 package.
- Get your plumber's quote using the requirements for your chosen spas.
- Read our guide to opening a nail salon for the full setup order.
- Request an itemized quote with every piece and freight in one document.
Get your real number
Tell us your station count and city, and we will send an itemized equipment quote with every piece and freight in one document.
Common questions
How much does a pedicure chair cost for a nail salon?
In our catalog, adult pedicure spas run from $1,988 to $4,000, with most between about $2,000 and $3,000. A non-plumbing pedicure chair is $720.
What is the cheapest way to open a nail salon?
Start small in a space that already has plumbing, or in a suite with a non-plumbing pedicure chair. A one-pedicure, one-manicure suite can be equipped for about $1,730 without plumbing or about $3,000 with a plumbed spa, using our catalog prices.
How many pedicure chairs should a new nail salon start with?
Our nail salon package is built around four pedicure and four manicure stations, but there is no right number for everyone. Your lease, plumbing and the number of technicians you can staff should decide it.
Do pedicure spas need a special drain?
Plumbed spas need a drain connection at each station. If the drain sits higher than the spa's outlet, a discharge pump is needed to lift the water. Check your spa's requirements before your plumber quotes.
