Restaurant service charges, tour guide tips, taxi rounding, the actual tipping norms, not the tourist-inflated version.
Tipping in Santa Teresa and the wider Nicoya Peninsula is genuinely less fraught than in the US or Canada, but it's also not zero. The actual local norm sits somewhere between "leave nothing extra" and "add 20% automatically," and understanding where you land on that spectrum will save you money and awkward moments at the register.
The Restaurant Bill: What's Already Included
Before you do any mental math at dinner, look at your receipt. By law, Costa Rican restaurants add two charges to every sit-down bill: a 10% service charge (listed as servicio) and a 13% IVA (value-added tax). That's already 23% on top of the menu price, so you are not starting from zero.
One important nuance: the 10% service charge goes to the restaurant, not directly into your server's pocket. It gets pooled and distributed among staff, including kitchen workers and sometimes management. So if your server was genuinely excellent, leaving a little extra cash on the table is meaningful in a way that the included charge is not, as noted by crdiscovery.com.
What this looks like in practice at the spots listed in our best restaurants guide:
- Sodas and casual lunch spots: No extra tip expected. Locals don't tip at sodas. Round up your change if you want, but don't feel obligated.
- Mid-range sit-down restaurants: An extra 5-10% in cash for good service is genuinely appreciated and goes to the person who served you.
- Higher-end dinner spots: Around 10% extra for great service is appropriate. If it was average, the included charge covers it.
- Bars: About 500 CRC (roughly $1 USD) per drink is the local bar standard, per travelandchai.com.
One thing worth knowing: if you add another 10% on top of a bill that already includes the service charge and tax, you are effectively tipping 22-plus percent of the original price, as thecostaricanews.com points out. That's your call, but it's good to know what you're actually doing.
For cheap eats options around town, check our cheap eats guide to know which spots are soda-style and which have table service.
Tour Guides and Activity Staff
This is where tipping matters most and where the amounts are most clearly established. Guides here are not pulling high salaries, and a tip after a good experience is genuinely significant.
Current norms as of 2026, confirm locally if rates shift:
- Half-day tours (surf lessons, wildlife hikes, snorkeling): $5-10 USD per person
- Full-day tours (fishing, diving, day trips): $10-20 USD per person
- Adventure activities with safety management (canopy, ATV, horseback): $10-20 USD, since guides are managing gear and risk
- Private guides: 10-15% of the total tour price is a reasonable benchmark
- Surf instructors: $5-10 USD per lesson is standard, and they'll remember you next session
For fishing specifically, captains and mates work long days and the tipping norm is higher, around $30-50 USD per day for the boat crew, per thecostaricanews.com. Check our fishing guide for context on what a full charter day involves.
If you're booking through a wellness retreat or yoga studio, instructors don't typically expect tips the way tour guides do, but for a massage therapist, 10-15% of the treatment cost is standard and appreciated.
Taxis, Shuttles, and Drivers
Taxis here are supposed to use a meter (the maria). In practice on the peninsula, many rides are negotiated flat rates because the roads are rough and metered rates don't always reflect conditions. Either way, the tipping norm is light:
- Taxis: Round up to the nearest 500 or 1,000 CRC. For a longer haul with bags, $1-3 USD extra is generous.
- Shared shuttles: $2-5 USD per person for a long trip like Jaco to Santa Teresa.
- Private airport transfers or full-day drivers: $10-15 USD for a half-day, $15-20 for a full day.
For getting around without a car, our getting around guide covers what transport actually costs here, which helps you calibrate what a tip means relative to the fare.
Hotel Staff
- Housekeeping: $2-5 USD per day, left in the room. Leave it daily rather than at checkout, since the person cleaning your room may not be the same person every day.
- Bellhop: $1-2 USD per bag.
- Concierge: $5-10 USD if they genuinely sorted something difficult for you, like a last-minute booking or a complicated day trip.
Browse our beachfront hotels and best hotels guides if you're still choosing where to stay.
Parking Attendants
You'll encounter informal parkeros in Cobano and occasionally at busier spots in Santa Teresa. These are people who watch your car in public areas. Giving them 500-1,000 CRC (about $1-2 USD) is the local custom and genuinely worth it, per travelwithhello.com. It's not a scam, it's just how it works.
Cash vs. Cards for Tips
Always carry small bills in colones for tips. Many restaurants here run card-only or prefer cards for the main bill, but adding a tip to a card transaction is either not possible or doesn't reach the server directly. The ATM situation in Santa Teresa is specific enough that it's worth reading our ATMs and money guide before you arrive, especially if you're coming on a weekend when machines run dry.
A quick note on currency: USD is accepted widely in Santa Teresa, so tipping in dollars is fine. Colones are often more useful for smaller amounts since you avoid the rounding awkwardness, per travelwithhello.com.
What Locals Actually Do
Ticos tip far less than tourists, and that's not rudeness, it's just the baseline. At a soda, they leave nothing. At a mid-range restaurant, maybe they round up. At a nice dinner, they might leave a small extra amount in cash. The 10% service charge was designed to cover the baseline so that workers aren't dependent on tip income the way US servers are. You don't need to import North American tipping anxiety to the Nicoya Peninsula.
That said, tourism is the economic engine here. If someone gave you a great morning on the water or a surf lesson that actually worked, a real tip is a real thing for them. Use judgment, not habit.
FAQ
Do I have to tip on top of the 10% service charge at restaurants? No. The 10% is legally required and already on your bill. Extra tipping is optional and appreciated only when service genuinely stood out. Leaving nothing extra is completely normal.
Is it okay to tip in US dollars? Yes, dollars are widely accepted in Santa Teresa. For small tips like rounding up a taxi fare, colones are easier. For larger tips to guides or hotel staff, dollars work fine.
How much should I tip a surf instructor? $5-10 USD per lesson is the going rate. If they spent extra time with you or you're booking multiple sessions, leaning toward $10 is a good move.
Should I tip at a soda? No. Sodas are fast, counter-service spots. Locals don't tip there and you don't need to either.
What if a restaurant doesn't show the service charge on the bill? Ask. Some smaller spots don't always itemize it clearly. If it genuinely wasn't added, a 10% tip is appropriate. If it was included and you missed it, you've over-tipped, which is fine but not necessary.
Browse all dining options, from beachfront splurges to roadside sodas, in our restaurant directory.