← Part of the Colombia money guide
Colombiachecked Jul 2026Tipping in Colombia
In Colombia, restaurants add a voluntary 10% tip that the server asks you about. Say yes and that is the tip, no extra needed. Here is what you actually owe.
At a glance
Tipping
A 10% voluntary tip
Restaurants
The server asks to add it
Just say
Yes, that is the tip
Taxis
No tip, round up
In Colombia, sit-down restaurants add a voluntary 10% tip (the propina voluntaria), and the server will usually ask whether to include it, saying something like desea incluir la propina. Say yes and that is the tip, with nothing extra needed; you can decline if service was poor. At casual spots and street food, no tip is expected. For taxis, no tip is expected, though rounding up is a courtesy. Leave anything extra in cash, in pesos.
The voluntary 10%, and the question
At sit-down restaurants, a voluntary 10% tip, the propina voluntaria, is the norm. By law it is optional, so the server will usually ask whether to add it (desea incluir la propina, do you want to include the tip).
The easy answer is yes: that 10% is the tip, and nothing extra is needed. If service was genuinely poor, you can politely decline.
Where and how much
The 10% applies at sit-down restaurants. At casual eateries, street food and cafes, no tip is expected, and you simply pay the price.
It is a kind gesture to tip a guide, driver or hotel porter a small amount for good service, but it is not obligatory.
Taxis, and paying
For taxis, no tip is expected, though rounding up the fare is a small courtesy. An app such as DiDi or inDrive shows a fixed or metered price, and the total is final. Leave any extra in cash, in Colombian pesos. For the wider picture, see the Colombia money guide.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Do you tip in Colombia?
At sit-down restaurants, yes: a voluntary 10% tip that the server asks whether to include. Say yes and that is the tip, with nothing extra needed. At casual spots and street food, no tip is expected.
What is the propina voluntaria in Colombia?
A voluntary 10% tip that restaurants add. By law it is optional, so the server usually asks whether to include it. Saying yes covers the tip; you can decline if service was poor.
Do you tip taxi drivers in Colombia?
No, it is not expected, though rounding up is a small courtesy. With an app such as DiDi or inDrive, the shown price is final.
How much do you tip at a Colombian restaurant?
The voluntary 10% the server asks about, and nothing more. At casual eateries, street food and cafes, no tip is expected.
More on Colombia
The little money things nobody warns you about.
- Do I need cash in Colombia, or can I use cards?Short answer: cards in cities for hotels and nicer places, and peso cash for markets, small shops and taxis. Use ATMs inside banks or malls for safety. Here is how to handle it.
- Taxi apps in Colombia, and the one rule that mattersIn Colombia the how-you-get-a-taxi matters more than which app. Here is the single rule to follow, the apps locals actually use, and how to leave Bogota's airport without the roadside gamble.
Sources, and how this was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
- US State DepartmentColombia country information
Our own readColombia's voluntary 10% and the server asking to include it are well-established restaurant conventions. Amounts here are our own read from recent traveler reports and local guidance, not a single official table. Checked July 2026.