Monaco Guide · Money & Etiquette
Tipping in Monaco is easier to understand once you separate the price you owe from an optional gesture of thanks. Monaco rules explicitly use the idea of service compris in several hospitality contexts, while current taxi fares are fixed and non-negotiable. The practical result for visitors is simple: check what the displayed price already includes, pay the stated amount, and treat any extra gratuity as a personal choice rather than an automatic second charge.
Bars and cafés
Monaco regulations require displayed bar prices to carry the wording “Taxes et service compris”.
Hotels
Hotel tariff rules refer to room, breakfast and meal prices as taxes and service included.
Taxis
Current official taxi fares are fixed, VAT-inclusive and non-negotiable for listed routes.
The simple rule
Do not add a percentage automatically just because you would at home. First read the menu, bill, tariff or booking conditions. If service is already included, the stated price is the price to settle; an additional tip is an optional thank-you for service you especially appreciated.
What does “service compris” mean?
The French phrase service compris means that service is included in the price being shown. In Monaco, this is not merely a phrase visitors happen to see on menus: official pricing rules use it directly in hospitality contexts.
For bars and drinks establishments, a Monaco ministerial order requires the prices displayed inside the establishment to include the wording “Taxes et service compris”. The same wording must also appear on the required exterior price display for listed drinks. A separate order governing wine prices in bars likewise expresses the regulated selling price as taxes and service included.
For visitors, the useful distinction is between the service component already built into the price and an extra gratuity you may choose to leave. The cited rules describe the amount charged for the service; they do not tell a customer to add a second fixed percentage on top.
Restaurants, bars and cafés
Read the price before thinking about the tip
At a bar or café, Monaco’s pricing rules make the service-included principle explicit. At a restaurant, read the menu and the final bill rather than importing a tipping percentage from another country. If the venue states that taxes and service are included, no extra amount is needed to make that displayed price complete.
If you received unusually attentive service and want to leave something extra, treat it as a voluntary gesture. That keeps the distinction clear between the venue’s price and your personal gratuity.
Card or cash?
The method matters less than clarity. If you want to add a gratuity, ask how the venue handles it rather than assuming the payment terminal will offer the same options you use at home. A small amount of euro cash can be convenient for discretionary tips, while the meal or drink itself can be paid using the methods accepted by the establishment.
For broader payment planning, see ViewMonaco’s guide to banks, ATMs, cards and currency exchange in Monaco.
Hotels: separate the tariff from a personal thank-you
Monaco’s hotel pricing rules also use the “taxes and service included” formula. The regulation covering hotel tariffs refers to room prices and, where applicable, breakfast, half-board, full-board and menu prices on that basis.
That does not prevent a guest from thanking an individual member of staff. It simply means you should not assume that a room or meal price needs an automatic percentage added to make up for missing service. If you want to recognise a porter, housekeeper, concierge or another staff member, the amount is a matter of personal judgement and the circumstances of the service.
When in doubt, ask discreetly
High-end hotels and private hospitality can have their own service practices. If a booking includes a package, butler service, transfers or other extras, check the confirmation or ask reception what is already included before adding anything.
Taxis: pay the official fare first
Monaco updated its taxi tariffs on 17 September 2026, with the change published in the Journal de Monaco on 18 September. The consolidated rules describe the listed fares as VAT-inclusive and non-negotiable. For one to four passengers with luggage, the standard intra-Monaco fare is €18 in normal traffic without waiting; the fixed motorway fare to Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is €110 under the current tariff.
The same regulation lists separate supplements and conditions, including waiting or slow traffic, vans carrying five to eight passengers, and the special Formula 1 Grand Prix period. For a visitor, that structure is important: the official fare is not something to bargain down and a gratuity is not a substitute for the fare or any applicable supplement.
If you choose to tip a driver for helpful service, luggage assistance or a particularly smooth journey, keep it separate in your mind from the regulated fare. For airport planning, ViewMonaco’s Nice Airport to Monaco transport guide compares the main transfer options.
What about salons and other personal services?
Monaco also has service-sector pricing rules outside hospitality. For example, hairdressing regulations require the service card and displayed tariffs to show VAT and service included. The practical lesson is consistent: look first at the stated price and what it includes, rather than assuming that a separate gratuity percentage is part of the bill.
For any service not covered by the examples above, check the price before the service begins when possible. If you later decide to leave something extra, make it a deliberate choice based on the service you received.
A practical tipping checklist for Monaco
1. Check the wording
Look for “service compris”, “taxes et service compris”, or the venue’s equivalent wording on the menu, tariff or bill.
2. Pay the stated charge
For regulated services such as taxis, follow the official fare and listed supplements rather than negotiating a different amount.
3. Add extra only by choice
If you want to reward excellent service, make the additional gratuity clearly discretionary rather than treating it as a mandatory percentage.
Official references
- Legimonaco — bar and drinks price-display rules, including the “Taxes et service compris” wording.
- Legimonaco — hotel tariff rules, referring to tariffs as taxes and service included.
- Legimonaco — consolidated Monaco taxi tariffs, updated by the September 2026 order.
- Journal de Monaco — taxi tariff amendment of 17 September 2026.
Information checked against official Monaco legal and government sources in September 2026. Prices, regulations and venue practices can change, so use the latest official tariff or the venue’s current terms when a precise amount matters.
Practical guides for an easier Monaco visit
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