The currency
The currency is the som (UZS). In 2026 one US dollar is around 12,000 som (it moved between about 11,700 and 12,800 during the year), so prices have many zeros: a taxi ride of 25,000 som is about $2. Notes go up to 200,000 som.
Cash or card?
| Usually by card | Usually cash only |
|---|---|
| Hotels, especially international chains | Bazaars and street food |
| Large supermarkets (Korzinka, Makro) | Small cafés and family restaurants |
| Upscale restaurants, tour agencies | Most guesthouses outside Tashkent |
| Train tickets online | Taxis (unless the app accepts your card) |
Visa is the most widely accepted, Mastercard usually works, UnionPay works at many ATMs; American Express rarely does. When a terminal offers to charge you in dollars or euros, choose som: the conversion offered by the terminal is usually worse.
ATMs
- ATMs are easy to find in cities. Kapitalbank, NBU, Hamkorbank and Ipoteka Bank machines usually accept foreign cards.
- A single withdrawal is typically limited to 2–5 million som ($150–400). Fees range from zero to about 1.5%, so take out larger amounts less often.
- Again, decline the ATM's own conversion and be charged in som.
Exchanging dollars or euros
- Banks and official exchange counters give the best rates; airport rates are acceptable; hotels are usually 5–10% worse.
- Bring clean, recent US dollar bills. Torn, marked or very old notes are often refused, and $100 bills get a slightly better rate than $20s.
- Euros are accepted at a slightly worse rate. Avoid street changers at bazaars.
Payme, Click, Uzum and QR codes
Locals pay by scanning QR codes with Payme, Click or Uzum. These apps run on the local Humo and Uzcard networks, so a foreign Visa or Mastercard cannot fund them. Many shops with a QR sticker still take cash. If you stay longer than about ten days, you can open a local Humo or Uzcard debit card at a bank such as Kapitalbank with your passport, top it up with cash and link it to the apps.
Taxis and tipping
- Yandex Go is the easiest way to get a taxi. In-app payment sometimes rejects foreign cards; choose cash before confirming the ride.
- Restaurants often add a 10–15% service charge automatically. Check the bill before tipping; if there is none, rounding up or about 10% is generous.
- Keep small notes: bazaar stalls and taxi drivers often cannot break 100,000 or 200,000 som notes.
Daily budget
Roughly 400,000–600,000 som a day for budget travel, 0.8–1.5 million som for mid-range, and 2 million som and up for comfortable hotels and restaurants, not counting trains between cities.
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