How much to tip in Cambodia
Cambodia quick reference
Why Cambodia is different
Cambodia's tourism economy, still rebuilding decades after the Khmer Rouge era devastated the country's infrastructure and workforce, has developed a genuine and meaningful tipping culture specifically around its most visited sites — above all the Angkor temple complex near Siem Reap — where tour guides, tuk-tuk drivers, and hotel staff rely on tips as a real and significant part of household income given how much of the local economy runs on tourism relative to other sectors. This is distinct from everyday Khmer social custom, where tipping between locals isn't practiced, but international visitors are consistently and reasonably encouraged to tip generously given the country's economic circumstances. Cambodia's history since the Khmer Rouge period (1975-1979) and the subsequent decades of conflict and rebuilding means the country's tourism infrastructure is genuinely younger and less established than in neighboring Thailand or Vietnam, which is part of why so much visitor guidance explicitly frames tipping as economically meaningful rather than a mere courtesy. Siem Reap in particular has grown almost entirely around Angkor tourism, creating a local economy where guiding, driving, and hospitality income is disproportionately tourism-dependent compared to the more diversified capital, Phnom Penh.
Service charge reality
Cambodian restaurants rarely add a formal service charge outside upscale hotels in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and everyday local eateries have no tipping tradition at all. Where tipping does happen — largely tourist restaurants and Angkor temple-area guides — it functions as a genuinely important income supplement given Cambodia's still-recovering economy and comparatively low service-sector wages.
Cash vs. card
US dollars circulate alongside Cambodian riel as everyday currency, and this matters directly for tipping: small USD bills ($1, $5) are the most practical and welcomed way to tip guides, drivers, and hotel staff, since riel is mostly used for small change and USD is treated as the 'real' currency for larger transactions including tips.
Situation by situation
Restaurants
Expected: Round up or 10% at tourist restaurants in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh; nothing at local eateries
Actually rude: Nothing specific
Given wage levels, even a modest tip makes a meaningfully larger difference here than the same amount would in wealthier neighboring countries. Riverside restaurants along Phnom Penh's Tonle Sap waterfront catering to tourists have grown accustomed to the same 10% norm as Siem Reap's temple-adjacent restaurant scene.
Taxis
Expected: Round up
Actually rude: Nothing specific
Tuk-tuk drivers hired for a full day of temple-hopping around Angkor are commonly tipped $2-5 for the day on top of the agreed fare. Boat drivers on Tonle Sap Lake, ferrying visitors to floating villages, follow a similar informal round-up-plus-small-tip approach.
Hotels
Expected: $1-2 per bag for porters; a small daily amount for housekeeping is a genuinely meaningful gesture
Actually rude: Nothing specific
Upscale hotels in Siem Reap occasionally add a service charge; smaller guesthouses do not. Phnom Penh's business hotels see a similar pattern, though with somewhat less consistent tipping overall given the more mixed business-and-leisure clientele.
Tour Guides
Expected: $5-10 per person per day for an Angkor Wat temple guide
Actually rude: Nothing specific
Angkor guides undergo genuine certification and training, and tipping well is widely recommended by tour operators given both the guide's expertise and the local economic context. Guides at genocide memorial sites like Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields fall into a similar tipping range, reflecting a comparable level of specialized historical knowledge.
Salons
Expected: Round up or a small flat amount ($1-2)
Actually rude: Nothing specific
Mostly relevant at Siem Reap and Phnom Penh spas catering to tourists; local Khmer barbershops and neighborhood salons rarely see any tipping at all.
Related reading
The situation-specific guides behind each service norm above, plus Cambodia’s regional hub.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need US dollars for tipping in Cambodia?
Cambodia runs on a dual-currency system where USD is used alongside the riel for most transactions above small change, and tips — especially for guides, drivers, and hotel staff — are typically given and expected in small USD bills rather than riel.
How much should I tip an Angkor Wat temple guide?
$5-10 per person per day is a commonly recommended range for a certified, English-speaking Angkor guide, reflecting both their training and the genuine economic importance of tourism income in the Siem Reap area.
Is a larger tip more meaningful in Cambodia than in wealthier Southeast Asian countries?
Generally yes — given Cambodia's comparatively lower wages and its economy's heavy reliance on tourism relative to Thailand or Malaysia, the same tip amount tends to make a proportionally bigger difference for the person receiving it.
Do I tip differently at floating villages on Tonle Sap Lake compared to Angkor temple guides?
Boat drivers and guides at Tonle Sap's floating villages, a distinct Cambodian tourist experience from the temple circuit, are tipped in a similar general range to other guides, though many visits are organized through community-based tourism initiatives where a portion of the fee itself already supports the local village.
Should I tip differently in Phnom Penh compared to Siem Reap?
The core approach is similar, though Siem Reap's economy is even more concentrated around Angkor tourism specifically, meaning guides, drivers, and hotel staff there are somewhat more consistently accustomed to and dependent on tips than in Phnom Penh, the capital, where the economy is more diversified.
Do I tip staff at genocide memorial sites like Tuol Sleng or the Killing Fields?
A guide leading a tour through these deeply significant historical sites is tipped similarly to any other specialized guide, though many visitors approach the tip with particular thoughtfulness given the somber, historically weighty nature of the experience.
Sources: Cambodia Ministry of Tourism visitor guidance (checked 2026-06-11); Khmer Angkor Tour Guide Association guidance (checked 2026-06-11). See methodology for our annual-refresh policy.