Pagar a escote

to split the bill; **to split the bill**; **to split the cost**; **to go Dutch**; **to share the expense**; **to chip in**

Pagar a escote means to split the bill, share the cost or contribute equally to an expense.

Each person pays their own part instead of one person paying for everyone.

• friends share the cost of a meal
• several people contribute to buy a gift
• a group divides travel expenses
• everyone pays an equal share of an activity
• costs are distributed fairly among participants

The noun escote comes from an old French-derived term related to taxes or shared financial contributions.

For centuries, escote referred to the amount that each member of a group had to contribute towards a common expense.

The modern meaning of escote ("neckline") has a completely different origin and is unrelated.

The expression is still widely understood throughout Spain, although younger generations often choose more transparent alternatives such as:

• pagar a medias
• dividir la cuenta
• pagar entre todos

The idiom is especially common among older speakers and in written Spanish.

Spanish has several ways of expressing shared payment:

• Pagar a escote → to split the bill.
• Pagar a medias → to split the cost fifty-fifty.
• Pagar entre todos → everyone contributes.
• Invitar → one person pays for everyone.

Today, pagar a escote is the most traditional expression, while pagar a medias and dividir la cuenta are generally more common in everyday conversation.

Do not associate escote here with clothing.

It has nothing to do with a neckline.

Instead, translate the expression as:

• to split the bill
• to go Dutch
• to split the cost
• to chip in

Choose the version that best fits the situation.