Tipping and money in Medellín: tips, prices and paying (2026 guide)
· By the Safe Ride Medellín team
Photo: Dtarazona · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
How tipping works
Colombian law defines the tip as something the customer gives voluntarily, for good service. You have the right not to pay it, or to change the amount when it is suggested.[1]
When a restaurant or bar suggests a tip, it can't be more than 10% of the service, and it only goes on the bill if you accept. Before issuing the bill, the person serving you must ask whether you want the tip included, or how much.[1]
Our local tip
If the service was good, give the tip in cash, straight to the person who served you.
Prices and the bill
Prices must be on display, in Colombian pesos and with all taxes included, and you only have to pay the price advertised. If two prices appear, you pay the lower one.[2]
You can ask for the itemized bill before paying: every item, its unit price and the total.[1]
- No prices on the menu? Ask before you order, especially shots and bottles.
- Drinks ordered by people you have just met go on your tab.
- Pay for each round when it arrives, and check the bill line by line.
Cash, cards and ATMs
- When a card machine or an ATM offers to charge you in dollars, choose pesos. BEUC, the European consumer organisation, says paying in your home currency is almost always more expensive, typically by 5–6%.[5]
- Use ATMs inside banks or malls, and carry only the cash you need.[6]
- Keep your card in sight when you pay, and keep small notes for tips and small purchases.
The exchange rate in 2026
The peso has strengthened a lot: it gained 19.35% in 2026 through September, the most among 21 emerging-market currencies.[4]
On October 28, 2026 the official rate (TRM) was COP 3,148 per dollar, against an average of COP 3,860 in October 2025. In other words, the same price in pesos costs about 23% more in dollars than a year ago. Check the rate before you travel and budget in pesos.[3]
A fixed price, agreed before you ride
No surprises at the end of the ride either. Safe Ride Medellín is a brand of Safe Experience S.A.S., a Colombian travel agency; the rides are operated by a licensed special-transport company. Our prices are set in pesos; the dollar figure on the site is an approximate conversion, rounded down.
- Fixed, all-inclusive price, paid online when you book.
- By the hour (4-hour minimum): your driver drops you at the door, waits nearby and takes you home when you're ready.
- Verified driver; you get their name and photo before the ride.
- English and Spanish.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the service.
- By the hour (city): COP 75,000 / hour · ≈ $23
Frequently asked questions
Do you tip in Medellín?
It's voluntary. Restaurants and bars may suggest up to 10%, only with your acceptance, and you can refuse it or change the amount. If the service was good, the simplest is a cash tip handed to the person who served you.[1]
Is the 10% service charge mandatory?
No. It is a suggested tip, it can't be more than 10% of the service, and the staff must ask you before including it on the bill.[1]
Should I pay in pesos or in dollars?
In pesos. If the card machine or the ATM offers dollars, decline: paying in your home currency is almost always more expensive.[5]
What if the bill doesn't match the menu?
You only have to pay the advertised price, and if two prices appear, the lower one. You can also ask for the itemized bill before paying.[2][1]
Where should I take out cash?
At ATMs inside banks or malls, and only the cash you need.[6]
How many pesos is a dollar?
On October 28, 2026 the official rate was COP 3,148 per dollar, against an average of COP 3,860 a year earlier. It moves every day: check it before you travel.[3]
Sources
Every safety figure, fare and schedule on this page comes from these sources. Check them before you travel: rules and fares change.
- [1]Congress of Colombia · Ley 1935 de 2018 (propinas) (Aug 3, 2018)Tips are voluntary (art. 2); a suggested tip can't exceed 10% and needs your acceptance (art. 3); itemized bill before paying, and staff must ask whether to add the tip (art. 4). Accessed Nov 1, 2026.
- [2]Congress of Colombia · Ley 1480 de 2011 (Estatuto del Consumidor), artículo 26 (Oct 12, 2011)Prices shown in Colombian pesos with all taxes included; you only pay the advertised price; with two prices, the lower one. Accessed Nov 1, 2026.
- [3]Noticias Caracol · Precio del dólar hoy en Colombia: cómo está la TRM este miércoles, 28 de octubre de 2026 (Oct 28, 2026)Official rate (TRM) of COP 3,148.02 on October 28, 2026, against an October 2025 average of COP 3,860.12 (Financial Superintendency). Accessed Nov 1, 2026.
- [4]La República · El peso colombiano lidera la revaluación entre las emergentes en 2026, al apreciarse 19,3% (Sep 18, 2026)The Colombian peso gained 19.35% in 2026 through September, the most among 21 emerging-market currencies. Accessed Nov 1, 2026.
- [5]BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation · Paying abroad may be costing you more than it should (Oct 12, 2016)Paying in your home currency (dynamic currency conversion) is almost always more expensive, by 5–6%: always pay in the local currency. Accessed Nov 1, 2026.
- [6]U.S. Department of State · Colombia Travel Advisory (Level 3: Reconsider Travel) and country information (Mar 31, 2026)Level 3 nationwide; “Do not travel” areas; staff ban on street taxis and public transport; taxis, dating apps, drugging, ATMs, ride-by robberies; emergency numbers. Accessed Oct 15, 2026.