Prices vary greatly based on;
-- Where you get it done (proper tattoo places have different prices but it's guaranteed they have clean, sterile tools and can do the design you want perfectly)
-- The size of the tattoo. Small ones tend to cost less.
-- Complexity. I'm not sure about this but I'm sure tattoos with intricate details might cost you more.
I'm positive that placement doesn't affect price but I dunno. My tattoos ranged from $50 bucks and up (I don't recall the true prices but they were around or over 50). Two were done at studios, the other two done by a professional artist at our house.
And tips for those not sure;
-- The pain is like getting scratched by a cat. It also varies depending on where you get it. An area where the skin is thin or near bone hurts a lot more than somewhere with more skin. Example; my shoulder tattoo hurt less than my ankle one, which was close to a bone.
-- Coloured ink seems to hurt more than plain black ink. My kanji tattoos definitely weren't as painful as my ankle.
-- Be very, VERY sure of your tattoo before getting it done. You need to have no regrets about it before having it inked on you permanently. That means considering jobs if you want one people can view easily, and also considering how it might look in 20-30 years, or when you're quite old.
-- With kanji, it's easy to get kanji that means nothing or something rude, so make sure to really research your choice before having it done. The kanji on my wrist has been told to me, by a Chinese lady I encountered in a store, that it means what it's supposed to mean, 'dream'. No idea about my neck tattoo though, not like my hair is short enough to expose it too often.