Tipping in Colombia: 2026 Guide for Travelers
Updated October 22, 2026 · 5 min read
- Tipping
- Appreciated
- Restaurants
- 10% (asked on the bill)
- Currency
- COP
| Service | Tip in Colombia |
|---|---|
| Restaurants | 10% suggested servicio (voluntary) |
| Cafés & bakeries | Optional; round up |
| Bars & clubs | 10% often suggested on the tab |
| Taxis | No tip; round up |
| Hotel housekeeping | COP 5,000–10,000 per night |
| Porters | About COP 5,000 per bag |
| Tour guides | COP 20,000–40,000 per person (group day tour) |
Colombia has one of the clearest tipping systems in Latin America. At restaurants, a suggested 10% tip — called servicio, propina sugerida, or propina voluntaria — is printed on the bill, and the server asks whether you’d like to include it. The tip is voluntary, but most diners say yes.
Outside restaurants, tipping is lighter than in the US. The currency is the Colombian peso (COP), and the numbers get big quickly: in recent years one US dollar has bought roughly 3,800–4,400 pesos, so COP 10,000 is only a couple of dollars. Our currency converter has today’s rate.
Restaurants: “¿Desea Incluir el Servicio?”
When you ask for the bill (“la cuenta, por favor”), it will usually show the subtotal, a line for the suggested tip, and a total with and without it. Your server will ask “¿Desea incluir el servicio?” — would you like to include the service? Answer “sí” to add it, or “no, gracias” to leave it off.
The suggested amount is typically 10%. If service was poor you can decline, and if it was excellent you can add a little extra in cash. Don’t tip a second time on top of an included servicio — that’s the most common mistake visitors make.
Colombian rules require the tip to be optional, and staff are supposed to ask before adding it. If it appears on your bill or card slip without anyone asking, you’re entitled to ask for it to be removed.
At casual spots — a corrientazo (cheap set lunch), a bakery, or a juice stand — there’s usually no servicio line, and rounding up is enough.
Paying by Card
Cards are widely accepted in Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, and other cities. The server brings a portable card terminal (datáfono) to the table, and if you said yes to the servicio it’s already included in the amount charged. With a credit card, you’ll also be asked “¿A cuántas cuotas?” — how many monthly installments to split the payment into. Answer “una” (one).
Smaller places, markets, and many taxis are cash only, so keep some low-value notes handy. Our guide to tipping in cash vs card covers the trade-offs.
Taxis, Ride Apps, and Drivers
Taxi drivers don’t expect tips; round up to the nearest thousand pesos if you like. In ride apps, tipping is optional. For a private driver or airport transfer who waits for you or handles heavy bags, COP 10,000–20,000 is a kind extra.
Hotels, Tours, and Guides
- Housekeeping: COP 5,000–10,000 per night, left daily.
- Porters: about COP 5,000 per bag.
- Group day tours (Guatapé, coffee farms in the Zona Cafetera, Cartagena walking tours): COP 20,000–40,000 per person for the guide.
- Tip-based walking tours: these are free to join and run on tips; roughly COP 20,000–50,000 per person is a reasonable range depending on length.
- Multi-day treks such as the Lost City (Ciudad Perdida): the guide and cook are usually tipped as a group at the end. Ask your operator for its suggestion.
See our tour guide tipping guide for how these amounts compare with US norms.
Bars, Salons, and Other Services
Many bars and nightclubs add the same voluntary 10% to the tab and will ask before including it. At hair salons and barbershops, about 10% is generous; locals often tip less. Informal attendants who watch your car on the street usually get a small tip of a few thousand pesos when you leave. Delivery riders from apps like Rappi can be tipped in the app.
Tipping in Colombia: FAQ
Do you tip in Colombia?
Yes, mostly through the voluntary 10% servicio at restaurants and bars, which your server asks about when you pay. Taxis aren’t tipped, and hotel and tour tips are modest.
What does “¿Desea incluir el servicio?” mean?
It means “Would you like to include the service?” The server is asking whether to add the suggested tip, usually 10%, to your bill. Say “sí” to include it.
Is the tip mandatory in Colombian restaurants?
No. The servicio is voluntary and you can decline it, though most diners pay it unless the service was poor.
Do you tip taxi drivers in Colombia?
No. Pay the fare; rounding up to the nearest thousand pesos is a nice gesture but not expected.
How much do you tip a tour guide in Colombia?
Around COP 20,000–40,000 per person for a group day tour, and more for a private guide or a multi-day trek.
Back home in the US? Work out 15–20% in seconds.
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