Costa Rican Tipping

A 15 percent sales tax, as well as a three percent tourist tax is added to all hotel bills. Cafés and restaurants include a 10 percent service charge or tip, so tipping above that amount is optional. Employees such as bellhops and taxi drivers are appreciative of any additional gratuity for excellent service. It is also customary to give a small tip to the parking attendants who watch your car on the street, called cuidacarros. One hundred colones is usually sufficient.

Supermarket box boys should be tipped for carrying groceries to your car, since they do not receive a salary. If you live nearby, they will even take your bags to your home. We used to live four blocks from the supermarket at Plaza Mayor in Rohrmoser and liked to walk to the market. Our favorite box boy delivered our food to our front door for about $0.75 cents.

"Baby boomers are redefining retirement - and leading the move to a new generation of dream countries"

AARP Magazine

Christopher Howard's The New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Cost Rica, is important when doing research about moving to Costa Rica.

By Hillary Chura
New York Times
July 30, 2005