Balayage from a home-based stylist in Toronto costs about $340, with most between $270 and $390. Full highlights sit around $235, partial highlights around $150, all-over colour around $130, a root touch-up around $85 and a toner or gloss around $60. Those are medians from published price lists, pulled in October 2026.
The first appointment is only part of the cost. How often you go back decides what colour costs over a year, and that is where balayage and all-over colour trade places.
The short answer
| Service | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Balayage | $270 to $390 | $340 |
| Full highlights | $120 to $270 | $235 |
| Partial highlights | $98 to $233 | $150 |
| All-over colour | $91 to $153 | $130 |
| Root touch-up | $66 to $98 | $85 |
| Toner or gloss | $52 to $83 | $60 |
A year of colour, not one appointment
Balayage is painted on so it grows out softly, and many people go months between full appointments with a toner in between. All-over colour shows a line at the roots within weeks, so it needs regular touch-ups. Put a year of visits side by side and the cheaper appointment is not the cheaper choice.
If you want to cover grey fully or change your base colour, all-over colour with regular roots is the honest route, and it costs about $725 a year at these prices. If you want low upkeep, balayage costs more on day one and can come in under that by the end of the year.
What moves the price on the day
New or refresh. One stylist lists balayage at $450 for a first appointment and $385 for a refresh, full highlights at $400 and $345, and partial highlights at $285 and $250. Returning clients pay $35 to $65 less.
Length and thickness. Another prices balayage by length: $96 for short hair and $108 for long. Partial balayage is listed at $270 and $280 by two stylists who offer both.
How light you are going. Lifting dark hair several shades takes bleach and time. Bleach and tone is listed at $250 by one stylist, and a full-head bleach at $500 by another. Vivid fashion colour is listed at $275.
Packages. Some stylists bundle colour with a cut and blow-dry, such as a balayage refresh with roots and a cut for $211. Compare a package against the separate prices before booking.
Toner and gloss
Toner takes the brassiness out of lightened hair, and a gloss adds shine; most stylists list them together. At around $60, it is the cheapest way to make colour look new between bigger appointments.
Before you book
- Send photos of your hair now and of the result you want, in daylight
- Be honest about your history: box dye, henna and old bleach all change the process
- Ask whether a patch test is needed before your first appointment
- Ask whether toner and a blow-dry are included in the price
- Block out the time: balayage and full highlights can take several hours
Where to find colourists in Toronto
Browse hairstylists in Toronto to compare colour menus, or read how to find a hairstylist near you. For lashes, nails and makeup, see what beauty services cost in Toronto.
How we got these numbers
We read the published price lists of home-based hairstylists on BuzzGram in Toronto in October 2026 and grouped colour services by what they are rather than what they are called. For each stylist we took their lowest price for a service, then reported the median and the middle half across stylists.
Partial balayage, bleach work and vivid colour have too few listings for a typical figure, so they are quoted as individual listings. The year-of-colour figures are an example built from the medians, not a quote. This guide splits colour into specific services, so its figures differ from the single colour figure in our August roundup. All prices are in Canadian dollars, before tip and tax. More in how we calculate local pricing.
FAQ
How much does balayage cost in Toronto?
About $340 from a home-based stylist, with most between $270 and $390. A refresh for a returning client usually costs less than the first appointment.
How much are highlights in Toronto?
Full highlights are about $235 (most $120 to $270) and partial highlights about $150 (most $98 to $233).
How much is a root touch-up in Toronto?
About $85, with most between $66 and $98. All-over colour usually needs one every four to six weeks.
Is balayage cheaper than all-over colour over a year?
Often, yes. At Toronto median prices, balayage with three toners comes to about $520 a year, against about $725 for all-over colour with root touch-ups every six weeks.
How much is a toner or gloss?
About $60, with most between $52 and $83.
Why do colour prices vary so much?
Hair length and thickness, how many shades lighter you are going, whether it is a first appointment or a refresh, and whether a cut or blow-dry is bundled in.
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