Tipping in Colombia
Tipping expectedService Breakdown
Notes by Service
A voluntary 10% "propina voluntaria" is sometimes added to the bill; you can decline.
A small tip for housekeeping is appreciated.
Round up the fare; not mandatory.
A small tip is appreciated.
10% is standard.
10% is polite.
$5–10 USD per person for tours.
A small tip is appreciated.
About Tipping in Colombia
Colombian restaurants often add a "propina voluntaria" (voluntary tip) of 10% to the bill — you can accept it or ask for it to be removed. Outside of this, tipping is appreciated but genuinely optional in many settings.
Tip at restaurants (or simply accept the voluntary charge), with tour guides, at hotels, and in taxis by rounding up. In Bogotá, Cartagena, and Medellín's tourist districts, service staff have come to expect a tip from international visitors.
When presented with the bill, confirm whether the propina is included. If you accept it, no further tip is needed. If removed, adding 10% in cash is a kind gesture. For guides and drivers on coffee region, Amazon, or wildlife tours, USD is widely accepted and appreciated.
Colombia's rapid emergence as a tourism destination means tipping norms are still evolving. Cartagena's walled city and Medellín's El Poblado neighbourhood have developed tip expectations closer to international norms; rural homestay hosts and local guides outside the tourist circuit are genuinely moved by a small tip. The "voluntary" label on the propina is technically accurate — locals often waive it, but foreign visitors tend to pay it.