Tipping in Jordan: Everything You Need To Know (2023)
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When we first visited Jordan, we were unsure about the tipping situation. Is tipping in Jordan a thing? How much? And how often? That’s why I’ve written this definitive guide to tipping in Jordan!
From local restaurants to tour guides, I’ll let you know how much you’ll need to pay in tips when you visit this wonderful country. As wages in Jordan aren’t the highest (the average salary in Jordan is just $637 per month), it’s important to know that most people rely on tips. Whilst it isn’t as heavily pushed as travelling the US or Central America, it is still helpful to tip the Jordanian workers that you come into contact with.
Tipping in Jordan is part of the culture. If you’ve experienced good service, it’s important to leave a tip. Sadly, employers have the expectation that tourism sector workers will be tipped, so they pay staff lower wages. The good thing is, nearly all of the service we received in Jordan (from taxi drivers, restaurant and bar staff, gas station clerks…) was amazing. Everyone was kind, friendly and helpful, so it was easy to tip!
Some restaurants in Jordan will add service straight onto the bill. This service doesn’t normally get given to the server, so we always added a few extra dollars in cash on top. Tipping in Jordan is another great reason to always carry cash on you.
So, let’s talk about tipping in Jordan, and what is expected of you (and what’s not!)
Visiting Jordan? Check out my other guides!
- Driving in Jordan: The Ultimate Car Hire Guide
- Where to Stay in Amman: Easy Area Guide
- Jordan 7 Day Itinerary: A Perfect Trip to the Middle East
- What to Wear in Jordan (That Isn’t Ugly)
- Is Petra Worth Visiting? A Must-Read Before You Go!
Tipping in Jordan: A Summary
Tipping in Jordan is encouraged, but not compulsory. Servers are paid lower wages as employers expect them to be tipped by tourists and visitors.
At the time of writing this, the JOD (Jordanian Dinar) is roughly equivalent to a GBP. So $1 JD is roughly £1 (give or take a few pennies). As a standard rule, you can tip in Jordan the following in cash:
- Private drivers: Tips are not expected as they are well paid, but $5-10 per day if their service is exceptional.
- Taxi drivers: $1-2 per journey.
- Restaurants: 10% of your bill.
- Hotels: Not expected. If someone goes out of their way (carrying luggage etc), a tip of $1-2 JD is always nice!
- Tourist sites/guides: Tour guide tips can vary. I’ll talk more about this later, but it’s always good to tip exceptional service.
- Gas station servers: Not expected. $1 JD tip if your budget allows it.
Top tips for tipping in Jordan
👯♀️ If you’re travelling in a group, chip in all together for a group cash tip. This keeps costs down!
🤑 Always tip in cash, and pay for your bills in Jordan in cash! Most venues will charge a high fee for using a credit or debit card, and some only accept cash. Always carry dollars with you.
🐫 Tour guides at bigger sites like Petra will expect tips. For example, if they help you to climb to a viewpoint or take you for a horse ride, they’ll be expecting at least 5-15 JD in return. Make sure you always carry cash when backpacking around Jordan.
💰There is no fixed rate or amount to tip in Jordan, but some of the friendliest people we have ever met have been in Jordan. We tipped almost every worker we met, and wish we could have given more!
If you’re not sure how to dress in Jordan, you can check out my detailed guide on clothing etiquette here.
Tipping in Restaurants in Jordan
Like restaurants in the UK, some restaurants in Jordan add a 10-12.5% gratuity automatically. This will be in well-established, larger restaurants. Sadly, this rarely gets given to the server who’s gone out of their way to make your visit special. If you can, tip them in cash separately to this. Even 1-2 JD goes a long way.
If service hasn’t been added to the bill, it’s polite to tip 10% in restaurants in Jordan.
Tipping at Hotels in Jordan
It’s not expected to tip at hotels in Jordan, but if someone goes out of their way for you (carrying luggage, doing something extra) it’s always nice to tip. Wages in Jordan for locals are low, and simply tipping 1-2 JD can make a big difference. Cleaners and room service can be tipped around 1 JD if you think it’s appropriate.
Again, it is not expected to tip at hotels in Jordan.
Need to know the best places to stay in Amman? You can check out my complete area guide here.
Tipping in Petra
Petra is full of tour guides and touts wanting to take you to different parts of the ancient city, whether it’s climbing a dangerous-looking rock or a set of a hundred stairs. There are even child and teenage workers inside Petra, looking to score tips from you for taking you to the ‘best’ viewpoints. Whether you hire one of these guides to help you is down to you.
If you do hire a guide in Petra to take you to a viewpoint, tipping is compulsory. The workers within Petra are only earning through tips. Most will even tell you the tip price upfront; which really, is a fee, rather than a tip. Climbing to a certain viewpoint near the Treasury in Petra will cost between $5-10 JD. This will need to be paid in cash.
If you have hired a tour guide to take you around Petra, one who is employed by the site, you can tip whatever you deem appropriate. One to five JD is a good amount at the end of the tour if you have been happy with their services.
If you ride a horse from the entrance to a certain point within Petra, the workers will persuade you by saying it’s free. Technically, it is free, but there is an expectation of tipping. Be sure to tip as least 5 JD after riding the horse.
Tipping in Wadi Rum
If you’re visiting Wadi Rum, it’s likely you’ll do a 4×4 trip, or some of the other tours around the desert. Our 4×4 tour was over four hours long in the midday heat, and our driver Laith (from the luxury bubble UFO Camp) was amazing. He was so friendly, passionate and personable, that we gave him a bigger tip than normal at the end of the tour.
It all depends on the amount of time you’re with your driver, and how they are with you. If it’s exceptional service, tip them exceptionally! The tours in Wadi Rum are also budget-friendly; ours was 4 hours and only cost £30 each – so we didn’t mind paying a higher tip.
Need to know where to stay in Wadi Rum? Check out my detailed bubble tent guide here.
Other times to tip in Jordan
🚶🏼♀️ Hitchhiking: If you’re hitchhiking in Jordan, pay roughly the same amount in tips as you would for a public bus (or more, if you’re able to).
🛁 Spas: Tipping servers in spas in Jordan is down to you and the type of service you have, but between 5-10 JD per worker is sufficient.
🤿 Snorkelling guides: If you are snorkelling in Jordan, a tip is not expected. But a $5 tip would be sufficient if the instructor went out of their way and provided exceptional service.
Where to stay if you’re visiting Jordan for the first time
If you’re travelling around Jordan for the first time, these are some of the best hotels and hostels.
🇯🇴 AMMAN
- Hotel: W Amman: for a 5* hotel in Shmeisani, within walking distance of all of the best attractions ➡ BOOK THIS HOTEL NOW!
- Hostel: Nomads Hostel (Jabal Amman) For backpackers and solo travellers in Amman ➡ BOOK AND READ THE REVIEWS NOW
🇯🇴 WADI RUM
- Bubble dome: UFO Luxotel has classic bubble dome rooms, with views overlooking the desert. ➡ BOOK AND READ REVIEWS NOW
- Traditional Bedouin tent: Wadi Rum Desert Adventures is one of the most popular authentic desert camps in Wadi Rum. ➡ BOOK AND READ REVIEWS NOW
🇯🇴 PETRA
- Hotel: Petra Sky Hotel: A hotel close to Petra’s entrance that’s cheap, includes breakfast and has a decent-sized room.
- Hostel: Petra Boxtel Hostel: for backpackers and solo travellers. ➡ BOOK AND READ REVIEWS NOW
Tipping in Jordan FAQs
1) Is tipping expected in Jordan?
No, tipping is not expected in Jordan, but it’s always appreciated! A good rule of thumb in Jordan is to tip at least 10% of your restaurant bill, and a few dollars for every other worker who goes above and beyond with their service for you.
2) Can I use US dollars in Jordan?
No, you will need to use Jordanian dinars in Jordan. US dollars are not accepted.
3) What currency do you tip in Jordan?
You will need to tip in cash, in Jordanian dollars in Jordan.
4) Should I exchange money before I travel to Jordan?
You can exchange money in Jordan without a problem, especially in larger cities like Amman and Wadi Musa. There are also money exchange kiosks at Jordan Airport.
5) What tours should I do in Jordan?
Looking to book a tour in Jordan? Tours are one of the best ways to see the hidden gems of the country you are visiting. If you’re travelling during peak season, I highly recommend pre-booking your tours to ensure you don’t miss out!
When travelling, we use this company to book our tours. Tours include skip-the-line tickets to the world’s most iconic attractions, walking tours by top local experts, immersive food and beverage tours, cooking and craft classes, bucket list experiences, and niche offerings you won’t find anywhere else!
Some of the best tours in Jordan include:
- Scuba diving in the Red Sea ➡ BOOK NOW!
- Private Petra tour with transfers ➡ BOOK NOW!
- Day trip to the Dead Sea from Amman ➡ BOOK NOW!
➡ Check out more tours for your trip here!
7) Do I need a SIM card to travel around Jordan?
Yes, it’s worth downloading an eSIM on your phone to ensure you can use it for directions and avoid roaming charges as soon as you arrive.
ESIMs are easy to download and ready to use within a few minutes of purchasing, so there’s no longer a need to hunt down free Wifi! ➡ You can check out the prices and packages for eSIMs here!
8) Do I need a car to travel around Jordan?
Driving in Jordan is safe and straightforward. Some of the main attractions are a distance away from each other, so to maximise your time in the country, you may want to hire a car.
If you’re looking to hire a car in Jordan, we rent our cars from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world! ➡ You can check out the prices for car hire in Jordan now!
Tipping in Jordan: In a Nutshell
So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about tipping in Jordan. If you’re ever unsure, just go with the safe option and be generous!
When you’re planning a trip to Jordan, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!
If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently backpacking around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!
Keep an eye out for more Jordan content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!
As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!
Happy travelling 🙂
Jennie x
Visiting Jordan? Check out my other posts below:
- Driving in Jordan: The Ultimate Car Hire Guide
- Jordan 7 Day Itinerary: A Perfect Trip to the Middle East
- What to Wear in Jordan (That Isn’t Ugly)
- Is Petra Worth Visiting? A Must-Read Before You Go!
MEET THE AUTHOR!
Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.
If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).
