TIPPING IN COSTA RICA

When you venture to places that are fantastic to visit with amazing people like here in Costa Rica, the question always comes up of “how much do I tip or do I even tip”. Here is our advice on best practices when it comes to tipping (also known as “propinas”) in Costa Rica.

This country prides itself on customer service and many of the nationals have an educational background specifically in hospitality. For this reason, the majority speak English quite well and are always wanting to be of assistance so they will go over and above to make sure you have a wonderful experience.

Some gratuities are included in your bill whether it be at a restaurant or an excursion you may do. You want to always make sure to check your bill (also called “la cuenta”) when eating out at a restaurant as, most of the time, they will include a ten percent tip for service called a “servicio”. The hourly wages for servers here fluctuate around $3/hour which are considerably lower than North America or other parts of the world so it’s always nice, especially if you receive good service, to give a little more.