Money in Uzbekistan

Uzbek Som — bring USD or EUR for the easiest exchange

The official currency is the Uzbek som (UZS). Since the 2017 currency liberalisation the parallel-rate market has effectively disappeared and the official rate at banks and licensed exchange offices is the rate everyone uses. US dollars in clean, post-2013 bills get the most reliable acceptance and the marginally best rate; euros and British pounds also exchange smoothly at banks in Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. Smaller airport kiosks may quote a slightly worse rate — exchange a small amount on arrival and the rest at a bank in town. The som is not freely convertible outside the country, so reconvert any leftover before leaving (the airport kiosk in Tashkent does this for travellers with the original exchange receipt).

ATMs work in major cities — but stock up before regional trips

Visa- and Mastercard-enabled ATMs are now widespread in Tashkent and reliable in Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Nukus and Fergana Valley city centres — Sanoat, Hamkor, Asaka, Ipak Yuli, Kapitalbank, NBU and Davr Bank all accept international cards in their city-centre branches. Withdrawal limits per transaction are typically 2–4 million UZS (around USD 160–320), with daily limits set by your home bank. ATM coverage thins in smaller towns and on side trips — Moynaq on the Aral Sea, Termez, mountain villages in the Western Tien-Shan — so withdraw in the nearest provincial capital before leaving.

Contactless cards work in Tashkent and main Silk Road cities

Visa, Mastercard and (increasingly) UnionPay contactless cards work at restaurants, cafés, supermarkets, large hotels and chain pharmacies in Tashkent and at the better hotels and restaurants in Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. Smaller family-run hotels, bazaars (Chorsu in Tashkent, Siyab in Samarkand), shared taxis and the Afrosiyob train ticket counters often want cash som. The two ubiquitous local payment apps — Click and Payme — run on local Uzcard and Humo accounts that international visitors typically can't open without a residency, so they are useful to know about (you'll see the QR codes everywhere) but not practical for tourist payment. Plan on a mix: card for hotels, restaurants and modern shops; cash som for markets, taxis and rural travel.

Apple Pay and Google Pay — work for tokenised foreign cards

Apple Pay and Google Pay work in Uzbekistan to the extent that your home Visa or Mastercard works — the local POS terminal sees a contactless card transaction, not the wallet. In Tashkent supermarkets, hotels, larger restaurants and the airport this is reliable. The local Click and Payme apps do not integrate with Apple Pay or Google Pay for foreign accounts. For currency declaration, amounts equivalent to USD 2,000 or more must be declared in writing on the customs form on entry — keep the stamped declaration to avoid problems on exit. Tipping is around 10% in Tashkent restaurants (often added as a service charge); rounding up the fare is enough for taxis.