Bogor Barber Holds Price at IDR 5,000 for Two Decades Despite Rising Costs

Amid rising prices of basic necessities and operational costs, a barber in Bogor, West Java, has chosen to maintain his haircut tariff at IDR 5,000. Supri, 62, who runs his business on Jalan Pemuda, said his decision is aimed at helping his loyal customers, who are mostly students and daily workers. “My target is the lower-middle class who want a cheap but neat haircut,” he said. Most of his customers are local residents, ranging from schoolchildren and online motorcycle taxi drivers to labourers, traders, and long-time regulars. Observations showed that in just one hour, at least 17 customers came for a haircut, with some waiting their turn on the provided benches. Each customer typically takes about five to ten minutes for a short, neat style. Although the profit margin is slim, Supri said the steady stream of customers keeps his business afloat. However, operational costs continue to rise, with monthly expenses for electricity, blade replacements, machine servicing, and supplies reaching hundreds of thousands to over a million rupiah. To cope, he economises on supplies and maintains his tools carefully to ensure durability without compromising service quality. Supri noted that economic conditions have made people more selective with their spending, prompting many to choose cheaper haircuts to save money for other needs. He recounted that some schoolchildren tell their parents the haircut costs IDR 20,000, pocketing the IDR 15,000 difference for pocket money. For Supri, his customers are like family after returning for so many years, and he hopes his business will remain busy. When asked about raising prices, he laughed and said it would take him a year or two just to consider it. He started his business in 1988 with a tariff of IDR 2,000, raising it to IDR 5,000 in 2005, a price that has remained unchanged for over two decades. One customer, 22-year-old Amar, has been a regular since junior high school and said that besides the low price, the barber already knows his preferred style.