Cancun and the surrounding area has a high poverty rate, with many full-time workers earning under $300 USD a month. A large share of the people serving you throughout your trip, bartenders, servers, housekeeping, drivers, rely on tips as a real part of their income. Anyone who serves you honestly and well deserves a tip.
The amounts below are a minimum baseline for two people, not a hard rule. Tip more if you'd like, or less if you genuinely can't afford it or the service was poor, tipping is appreciated but never mandatory. Amounts are shown in both USD and MXN (pesos), using an approximate rate of $1 USD ≈ $17 MXN, check our Currency guide for the current rate before your trip.
| Situation | Suggested Tip |
|---|---|
| Poolside drinks (per round) | $1-2 ($17-34 MXN) |
| Poolside food (per order) | $5 ($85 MXN) |
| Bartenders (per drink) | $1-5 ($17-85 MXN) |
| Lunch, no prices shown (full service) | $5-10 ($85-170 MXN) |
| Dinner, no prices shown (full service) | $5-10 ($85-170 MXN) |
| Lunch, prices shown on menu | 8-15% of bill |
| Dinner, prices shown on menu | 10-18% of bill |
| Situation | Suggested Tip |
|---|---|
| Poolside chair/umbrella setup | $5 ($85 MXN) |
| Housekeeping (per day) | $5 ($85 MXN) |
| Bellhop (luggage help) | $5 ($85 MXN) |
| Driver handling luggage (taxi/shuttle) | $1 per bag or $5 overall ($17 MXN or $85 MXN) |
| Room service (any delivery) | $5 ($85 MXN) |
| Taxi / Uber / shuttle ride | $3-5 per trip ($51-85 MXN) |
| Situation | Suggested Tip |
|---|---|
| English-speaking tour guide (per hour, paid at end) | $3 ($51 MXN) |
| Tour bus / shuttle / boat driver (end of tour) | $5-10 ($85-170 MXN) |
Amounts assume two people and are a starting reference point, not a strict rule. Peso amounts are approximate based on current exchange rates and will shift day to day.
There's more than one way to tip well throughout a trip, and different approaches work for different situations:
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