Where to get cheap haircuts in Singapore - KCuts, Snip Avenue, Kimage Hairdressing school & more

Where to get cheap haircuts in Singapore - KCuts, Snip Avenue, Kimage Hairdressing school & more
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Unless you're new in town, you would already know at least a couple of places for cheap haircuts in Singapore. And no, we're NOT talking about your first day of National Service.

Where to go for cheap haircuts in Singapore

The whole cheap haircut craze began with express hair salon chains that offered budget haircuts in under 10 minutes: QB House ($12), EC House ($12) and KCuts ($10).

Then came a hairdressing chain that knocked prices down even more: Snip Avenue ($3.80).

Going to one of these places feels like being a cow at a dairy farm - fast in, fast out. If you're on a tight budget, yet want to feel a bit more valued than a piece of livestock, don't worry - there are some other barber shops and budget hair salons in Singapore you can visit too.

Here's a price guide to them all:

15 affordable barber shops & hair salons in Singapore  

Barber shop / hair salon Location Haircut price
Snip Avenue Various outlets $3.80 to $4.80
Kimage Hairdressing School City Hall $6 / $15
TenDollar.com Salon Group Serangoon North, Pasir Ris $6 & up
KIMarie Hair & Beauty Training Centre Novena $7 / $18
eZen Hair, Nail & Beauty Jurong, Bukit Panjang, CCK, Woodlands $8
Peter & E Hair Studio Yishun, Serangoon, Fernvale $8
The One Salon Bedok $8
Aoska Unisex Hair Styling AMK, Whampoa $8 to $12
Kcuts Various outlets $10
New Star Hairdressing Saloon Little India, Siglap $10
Dragon Phoenix Unisex Beauty Salon & Hair Spa Toa Payoh $10 & up
QB House Various outlets $12
EC House Various outlets $12
Kojimaya Clarke Quay $12
Hair Buzz Salon Serangoon $15

Snip Avenue ($3.80 to $4.80)

Snip Avenue is known for being hands down the cheapest hair salon in Singapore. At $3.80 to $4.80 for a haircut, it's even cheaper than those budget express haircut chains.

What's more, unlike Kcuts, QB House and EC House (which I'd say are their main rivals), Snip Avenue is a full salon in that they offer hair treatments and services as well.

For instance, a digital perm that'll cost $150+ elsewhere is only $49.80 at Snip Avenue. Rebonding is the same price as well. If you just want to pamper your tresses, the hair treatment is $14.80. Add that to your haircut price, and the entire experience will still be under $20. Shiok.

From online reviews, the quality of your cut will depend on the outlet and hairstylist. The Bukit Batok one seems to have good reviews, so you can start there.

Address: Multiple outlets around Singapore. Check Snip Avenue's official website for the list of locations.

Kimage Hairdressing School ($6)

Kimage Hairdressing School is where popular hair salon chain Kimage trains their proteges.

At the hairdressing school, you pay only $6 for a haircut including a wash and blowdry, whereas at their salons you would have had to fork out $40 to $70! In addition, you can get all the services available at the regular salons except at much lower prices - from $23 instead of from $70.

The major con is that you're leaving your locks in the hands of student stylists, though they're constantly under the watchful eye of their supervisors. Your haircut will probably also take a lot longer than you're used to, so budget at least an hour (maybe 2).

According to some reviews we've read, you can also request your hair to be cut by a fresh grad from the hairdressing school. It will cost more at $15, but at least you know they won't be too shabby skills-wise.

Address: 6 Raffles Boulevard, #03-319/320 Marina Square, Singapore 039594
Tel: 6883 2700

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TenDollar.com Salon Group (from $6)

This heartland hair salon promises colour, perm, treatment and rebonding on top of cuts. Its name is a little misleading because, at $6 and up, its haircuts are much less than $10.

From the online reviews, it sounds like their quality is way better than the price would lead you you expect. As with many of these budget heartland hair salons, it helps if you come armed with photos of the cut you want.

Address: #01-K4 Elias Mall, 625 Elias Rd, Singapore 510625
Address: Serangoon North Avenue 1 Singapore 550153

KIMarie Hair & Beauty Training Centre ($7)

KIMarie Hair & Beauty Training Centre is another trainee hair salon. It's been around since 1979 and was founded by a certified hairstyling trainer. For just $7, you can get your hair shampooed, cut and blown dry.

The experience is similar to that at Kimage Hairdressing School. Come with an open mind, low expectations, and a looot of time to spare.

Nonetheless, it's had good reviews online, for whatever that's worth. If you're lucky, the teacher will be with the trainee the entire time so you'll have not 1 but 2 people fussing over your hair.

But make sure to call before you go because sometimes, there are no students, which means no student cuts. Cuts by instructors are $18.

Address: 10 Sinaran Drive, #B1-134 Square 2, Singapore 307506
Tel: 6222 4446

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eZen Hair, Nail & Beauty ($8)

With its multiple locations and cheap haircuts, eZen Hair, Nail & Beauty is fast becoming the new Snip Avenue without the uneven service quality. Its 6 outlets are in the west and north: Jurong, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang and Woodlands.

A standard haircut costs just $8 here, but if you find a stylist you like, you can join as a member for $25 a year. Member's price is $4 for a haircut. And as you might have already guessed by their name, they also offer nail and beauty services from $8 onwards.

Address: Blk 504 Jurong West St 51 #01-217, Singapore 640504
Tel: 6561 0085

Address: Blk 445 Fajar Road #01-542, Singapore 670445
Tel: 6760 3008

Address: Blk 678A Woodlands Avenue 6, #01-38, Singapore 731678
Tel: 6893 4991

Address: Blk 628 Senja Road, #01-02, Singapore 670628
Tel: 6762 3206

Address: Blk 399 Yung Sheng Road, #01-53, Singapore 610399
Tel: 6268 2080

Address: Blk 253 Keat Hong Shopping Centre #B1-16 Singapore 680253
Tel: 6760 6091

Peter and E Hair Studio ($8)

Peter & E Hair Studio is a budget hair salon with 3 outlets in Yishun, Fernvale and Serangoon. Basic haircuts used to be dirt cheap at just $3.50 but prices have since climbed to $8. Their membership deal where you sign up as a member ($30 for a year), and get $1 shaved off per haircut is also no longer available.

Address: Blk 807 Yishun Ring Road #01-4195, Singapore 760807

Address: 437 Fernvale Road Singapore 790437
Tel: 6441 1838

Address: 151 Serangoon North Avenue 1 #01-03 Singapore 550151
Tel: 6383 5009

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The One Salon ($8)

The One Salon is like any other neighbourhood hair salon, except super cheap at $8 for a haircut. They have a 16-session wash and cut package for $200 too.

Although a full salon with colouring, perming and other hair services, I don't suggest going there for whole-head makeovers. Not much is written about them online, but the few reviews that they have are all negative.

Address: Blk 211 New Upper Changi Road #01-735 Singapore 460 211
Tel: 6284 3907

Aoska Unisex Hair Styling ($5 to $8)

Long before there was Snip Avenue offering haircuts in single-digit prices, there was Aoska, with 2 outlets in the heartlands (Ang Mo Kio and Whampoa).

It was the case where for $5 and $8, you can get your hair cut. Now the prices have gone up to $8 and $12, but it's still a good place for other hair services as hair colouring starts at $35 (compared to upwards of $60 elsewhere) and a perm begins at $50.

Address: 347 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 #01-2134, Singapore 560347
Tel: 6451 5377

Address: 82 Whampoa Drive, Singapore 320082
Tel: 6254 9226

Kcuts ($10)

As far as cheap hair salons at shopping malls go, Kcuts has the best price of $10. And as with anything marketed with a Korean spin, Kcuts is super popular.

Kcuts offers "no frills Korean-themed hair cuts" in 10 minutes. You can expect the bare minimum - there are no wash, blow and shave services. Also, unlike at a salon where the stylists are usually very chatty, everything here is very transactional.

You purchase a ticket from a machine, wait your turn, and leave. If you miss your queue number, you'll have to wait for 2 customers to finish their turn and then rejoin the queue.

Address: Multiple outlets around Singapore. Check Kcuts' official website for the list of locations.

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New Star Hairdressing Saloon ($10 to $12)

Established in 1960, New Star Hairdressing Saloon in Little India began as a barber shop. It has retained much of its old-school charm with prices to match.

For $10, you get a no-fuss, no-frills cut that make it "the best Indian barber in Singapore", according to some. And, guys, one of the best things you can do here is to go for a traditional Indian barber shop shave.

But New Star has also moved with the times. It is now a unisex salon offering everything from perms to hair treatments, rebonding, colouring and highlights.

Address: 112 Upper East Coast Road Singapore 455006
Tel: 6444 5177

Address: 43 Campbell Lane Singapore 209915
Tel: 6291 4759

Dragon Phoenix Unisex Beauty Salon & Hair Spa (from $10)

As you would expect of the super-obiang name, Dragon Phoenix Unisex Beauty Salon & Hair Spa is tucked away in a vintage Toa Payoh estate, among TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) shops, foot reflexology places and auntie beauty parlours.

Perhaps the only clue that behind its rather nondescript façade is a host of services is its bright fuchsia sign. Apart from the usual hairdressing services, Dragon Phoenix offers make-up and facials as well as image consultancy.

Haircuts start from $10 and Anne (who sometimes spots pink hair to match the pink shop sign) has long-time customers who drive from all over the island to go to her.

You won't find reviews on this place because Dragon Phoenix is this writer's secret find. After this, though, the long lines to get Anne's services may just get longer.

Address: Blk 123 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh #01-509, Singapore 310123
Tel: 6353 3941

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EC House ($12)

EC House's tagline is "all-range cuts", because they are, ummm, orange (get it?). But more importantly, it is because they pride themselves on being adept at all kinds of hairstyles and haircuts.

Like Kcuts and QB House, you purchase a ticket at the EC House machine and wait in line for your haircut. Online reviews are split because there are just so many outlets and stylists. It's a hit or miss.

Address: Multiple outlets around Singapore. Check EC House's official website for the list of locations.

QB House ($12)

QB House is another EC House - same price ($12), same concept. On their website, it states that they help customers maintain their hairstyles by trimming the ends only. However, it is possible to go there to have your long hair cut short too, they just may not be the best at it.

For hygiene purposes, each customer will get a new comb for use. You can keep it after. It's also quite reassuring that there's a microwave-looking steriliser machine to zap their scissors and other (non-disposable) tools.

Address: Multiple outlets around Singapore. Check QB House's official website for the list of locations.

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Kojimaya ($12)

There aren't many places in the city you can go to for bargain haircuts. So, Kojimaya at The Central, above Clarke Quay MRT, is quite a find.

For $12, you can get your hair cut by a stylist of your choice who isn't rushed to finish the job in under 10 minutes, meaning better care and more attention.

Address: #B1-57 The Central, 6 Eu Tong Sen, Singapore 059817
Tel: 6535 6492

Hair Buzz Salon ($15)

Another old-school hair salon complete with the iconic twirling red, white and blue barber's pole outside the shop, Hair Buzz Salon is quite an icon in the Serangoon Gardens area.

Haircuts here are a little pricier than the others on this list, at $15, but there is a steady stream of regulars who have been coming to owners Freddy and Sabrina for more than a decade.

Address: 10A Kensington Park Road, Singapore 557262
Tel: 6280 2520

This article was first published in MoneySmart.

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