‘He ruined it’: Indian barber asks UK vlogger for ₹1,800 for haircut, divides internet

British travel vlogger and content creator George Buckley recently shared an Instagram reel detailing how he was overcharged at a barber shop during his trip to India, an incident that has sparked widespread discussion online.

In his video, Buckley claims he was initially quoted ₹1,800 for a basic haircut and head massage. As he hesitated, the price quickly dropped to ₹1,500, then ₹1,200. Sensing something was off, Buckley turned to other customers in the shop and asked, “How much do you guys pay?” but received no response. When he pressed further, the barber admitted that the usual charge for the service is ₹700- ₹800.

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Despite the back-and-forth, Buckley ended up paying ₹1,200. He left the shop without tipping and later took to Instagram to share his experience. In the caption, he wrote, “I was going to tip but he ruined it 🇮🇳.”

He added, “After a fair bit of experience travelling Asia, you can tell when you’re getting overcharged and this was definitely one of those moments! I was planning on giving him a tip but honesty comes first. Hopefully he doesn’t try the same trick on another traveller. A slightly sour end to the haircut, but an interesting experience nonetheless!”

Take a look at the video:

The post quickly gained traction, drawing mixed reactions in the comments section.

One user defended the barber, writing, “Devil’s advocate here — why not pay the man who can barely afford to live his ₹1,800? It’s like £15-20, which is what you’d pay in the UK. Why haggle him down over £5? It makes zero difference to you and a huge difference to his life. I’d have tipped him an extra ₹1,800 instead of haggling over pennies.”

Another viewer disagreed, saying, “Yes, you were overcharged for a basic head massage and a haircut. It should probably be somewhere around ₹300-400.”

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Another wrote, “Hey! They probably overcharged because you’re a foreigner, which unfortunately happens in some local spots. But that’s not how most of India is. Please don’t judge the whole country by one experience. Next time, try visiting good, high-end shops where prices are fair and service is reliable. India has a lot of honest and welcoming people—I hope you get to see the real side of it.”