Tipping in Cambodia
Tipping expectedService Breakdown
Notes by Service
$1–2 USD on the table is a meaningful tip; 10% at tourist restaurants.
$1 USD per night for housekeeping; $1 per bag.
Round up or add $0.50–1 USD for tuk-tuks and taxis.
$1–2 USD for massage therapists.
$1 USD per drink or 10% of tab.
A $1 USD tip is appreciated.
$3–5 USD per day for private guides; $2–3 for shared tours.
$0.50–1 USD is appreciated.
About Tipping in Cambodia
Overview
Tipping is appreciated throughout Cambodia and carries real weight given the country's low average wages. USD is used for most tourist transactions alongside Cambodian riel, and dollar bills are the practical tipping currency at hotels, restaurants, and tourist sites.
When to Tip
Tip at tourist-facing restaurants (10%), hotel housekeeping and porters, tuk-tuk and taxi drivers, spa and massage therapists, and tour guides at Angkor Wat and other archaeological sites. Any local guide who provides a personal service appreciates a tip.
How to Tip
Keep $1 USD bills on hand constantly — they are the universal small-tip denomination across Cambodia and far more practical than riel for tipping. At restaurants, leave $1–2 on the table or add a dollar or two when paying. For private guides at the Angkor complex, $3–5 USD per day is the expected baseline.
Cultural Context
Cambodia's tourism economy rebounded strongly after the COVID-19 period, but wages in hospitality remain among the lowest in Southeast Asia. Many guides and hospitality workers are young people from rural provinces who moved to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh for work; a tip genuinely supplements subsistence-level wages. The country's Buddhist cultural ethos means staff are gracious and unhurried even in busy tourist settings, and tipping acknowledges that quality of presence as well as the service itself.