A tour guide's pay depends on the country, the language, whether they hold a license, and whether they work for a company or for themselves. Here are real 2026 ranges, from published rates, job listings and what Local Friends charge on Roavi; treat them as indicative, because they swing with city and season.
By country, 2026#
| Country | Freelance, per day | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $200 to $500 | $25 to $60 (company: $18 to $30 plus tips) |
| Mexico | $50 to $150 | $15 to $40 |
| Colombia | $40 to $120 | $15 to $35 |
| Argentina | $40 to $120 | $15 to $35 |
| Peru | $40 to $150 | $15 to $35 |
| Dominican Republic | $50 to $150 | $20 to $40 |
| Spain | €150 to €300 (official guide) | €30 to €60 |
| Japan | ¥20,000 to ¥50,000 | varies |
| Thailand | 1,500 to 4,000 baht (licensed) | varies |
Spanish-language detail for twelve Latin American countries and Spain: cuánto cobra un guía turístico.
Company or freelance#
With a company, a guide earns a fixed rate per tour or per hour, a fraction of what the customer pays, plus tips. Steady in high season, thin in low season. Freelance, the guide sets the price and keeps it, but finds the customers. The difference per day can be two or three times.
What raises the rate#
- A second language: English abroad, Spanish in the US; French, German, Portuguese and Japanese on top.
- A license where it is required: archaeological sites, national parks, big museums.
- A niche: food, history, nature, photography, nightlife.
- High season and big events.
- Reviews: twenty good ones change what you can charge.
- Tips: 15 to 20 percent from American visitors.
Where you need a license#
New York City requires a Sightseeing Guide license for narrated tours to points of interest. Many countries require an official license to guide inside archaeological sites, national parks and big museums: Mexico (SECTUR), Peru, Spain (by region) and Italy among them. Thailand reserves guiding for licensed Thai nationals. Japan went the other way: since 2018 anyone may guide for pay, and only the title of licensed guide interpreter is protected. What nobody licenses is a private person accompanying a visitor to eat, walk a neighbourhood or go out.
Earning without a license#
A Local Friend shows visitors their city by the hour, the way a friend would, at a rate they set; Roavi lists you free and takes no commission. You do not present yourself as a licensed guide and do not guide inside sites that require one. In the US it is a fresh market: New York has seven listed, Los Angeles three, most cities one or none. How it works in the US, and city by city: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago.
Show visitors your city at your own rate.
Become a Local FriendMore: tour guiding as a side hustle, how to make $2,000 a month as a guide, side hustles for bilingual people. En español: cuánto cobra un guía turístico.
In New York specifically: how to become a tour guide in NYC.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do tour guides make in the US?
With a tour company, about $18 to $30 an hour plus tips, which in the US are usually 15 to 20 percent of the tour price and make up a large share of income. Freelance guides charge $25 to $60 an hour or $200 to $500 for a full day, more in New York, San Francisco and with a second language.Do tour guides make good money?
Freelance guides with good reviews, a second language and a niche (food, history, nature) do well in high season; company guides earn modest hourly pay that tips make or break. The work is seasonal almost everywhere, and the slow months are the hard part.Do you need a license to be a tour guide?
It depends on the place. New York City requires a Sightseeing Guide license for narrated tours to points of interest; many countries require an official license to guide inside archaeological sites, national parks and big museums (Mexico, Peru, Spain and Italy among them; Thailand reserves guiding for licensed Thai nationals). Accompanying a visitor as a private person to eat, walk a neighbourhood or go out does not need one anywhere.How can I earn showing people around without a license?
As a Local Friend on Roavi: you set an hourly rate, visitors book you to show them your city the way a friend would, and Roavi takes no commission. You do not present yourself as a licensed guide and do not guide inside sites that require one.