A salon and barbershop offers haircuts, hair color, treatments and nail care to people in its neighbourhood. Most start in a small street-front space with three or four chairs and stylists paid mainly on commission. The money is made on customers who come back every month, higher-value services such as color and treatments, and measuring every product used.

This guide walks through what it takes to start a salon and barbershop in the Philippines: the capital, the monthly costs, the permits and the first 90 days. The peso figures are sample estimates for a 3-chair salon with nail care in Cebu as of October 2026; get your own quotes before you decide.

How much capital you need

The sample comes to about ₱466,300 including one month of fixed costs kept as a cash buffer. It splits into chairs and stations (₱83,000), tools and equipment (₱51,000), space and setup (₱163,000), permits and deposits (₱66,000), opening stock (₱44,000), launch (₱5,000) and working capital (₱54,300). Other ways to start: small barbershop at ₱150,000–₱250,000 and full salon with spa services at ₱1 million–₱1.8 million.

Monthly costs and break-even

Fixed costs in the sample are ₱54,300 a month; the biggest are rent (₱18,000), assistant and receptionist (₱15,600) and electricity (₱8,000). Each service sold earns about ₱131 after its own costs, so the break-even is 14 services a day, and the startup capital takes about 12 months to come back at full sales.

Permits and registration

Register the business name with DTI (or SEC or CDA), then get the barangay business clearance, the Mayor's permit through the city or municipal BPLO, and BIR registration; register with SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG once you hire. A salon and barbershop also needs: sanitary permit, health certificates for every worker and FDA check on products you sell. Requirements and fees differ by city, so ask each office for its checklist first. DTI Negosyo Centers help for free.

Where to set up

  • In a residential area with many families nearby
  • Near schools and colleges, for haircuts and color
  • Along a busy commercial strip or a mall's outer row
  • Near offices, for after-work and lunch-break customers

Mistakes to avoid

  • A good stylist leaves and takes customers. Fair, on-time commission, a clear written agreement, and customer records kept by the salon.
  • Chemical damage or an allergic reaction. Patch and strand tests before chemical services, measured mixing and trained staff.
  • Infection from unclean tools. Disinfect tools after every customer, use a fresh towel each time, and keep the sterilizer working.
  • Product costs creep up. Measure color and chemicals, log what is opened, and compare product use with services done.

Plan it with the starter kit

The Salon & Barbershop · Negosyo Starter Kit has every worksheet behind this guide in a 26-page PDF, plus an Excel calculator: type in your own quotes and it works out your capital, break-even, profit and payback month. It costs ₱349 and downloads right after payment.