Kazakhstan
Currency in Kazakhstan: what to use and how to exchange
Kazakhstan uses the tenge (KZT, ₸), roughly 500–530 to the US dollar in 2026 (check). Bring some US dollars or euros in clean notes as a backup, withdraw tenge from bank ATMs in Almaty or Astana (check), and pay by card where it is accepted; carry cash for markets, villages and the steppe.
- Source checked
- A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
- Field checked
- Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
- Plan calculated
- Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.
Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify
GuideKazakhstan
Key facts
- Currency
- Kazakhstani tenge (KZT, ₸); 100 tiyn = 1 tenge
- Rough ratecheck
- About 500–530 KZT to 1 US dollar in 2026
- Best valuecheck
- Bank ATM withdrawal in tenge is usually the simplest option; card acceptance is common in Almaty and Astana (check)
- Cash still neededcheck
- Markets, small towns, villages, taxis hailed on the street, national parks (check)
- Cash to bringcheck
- US dollars or euros, unmarked notes; exchange in banks or exchange offices (check)
- Cardscheck
- Visa and Mastercard work in cities; keep a second card and some cash as backup (check)
- Tipping
- 10–15% service charge often on the bill; otherwise about 10%
Details
The tenge replaced the Soviet ruble in 1993 and is issued by the National Bank of Kazakhstan. Prices are written in tenge, sometimes with the ₸ sign, and larger sums are often quoted in thousands, so a menu figure can be a shorthand for a much bigger number — read the full amount before you pay (check).
For a first trip, plan on a mix. Cards cover hotels, supermarkets, cafés and most restaurants in Almaty and Astana, and contactless is normal (check). Outside the big cities, and for anything arranged informally — a driver, a guesthouse, a park entry — cash in tenge is the practical option (check). Keep a few thousand tenge in small notes for taxis, water and toilets.
Bringing cash: US dollars and euros are the easiest to exchange, and notes should be clean, unmarked and not too old (check). Exchange offices (obmenny punkt) in Almaty and Astana often give better rates than hotels, and banks are a safe alternative; compare the posted buy rate before handing over money (check). Never change money with someone on the street.
ATMs are common in Almaty, Astana, Shymkent and Atyrau and usually dispense tenge (check). Withdrawals from foreign cards can carry a local fee plus your own bank's charges, so take larger amounts less often (check). If an ATM refuses your card, try another bank's machine rather than repeating the same one. Card acceptance in Turkistan, the desert regions and Mangystau is patchier, so top up before you leave the city (check).
| Situation | Best option | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel, supermarket, city restaurant | Card | Visa and Mastercard widely accepted (check) |
| Bank ATM in Almaty or Astana | Withdraw tenge | Local fee plus your bank's charges may apply (check) |
| Exchange office in a city | US dollars or euros in cash | Compare posted rates; keep the receipt (check) |
| Bazaar, village shop, street taxi | Cash in tenge | Small notes help (check) |
| National park or remote guesthouse | Cash in tenge | No card terminal; bring enough (check) |
| Emergency backup | Second card plus USD cash | Useful if a card is blocked or an ATM is empty |
Tips
Tell your bank you are travelling to Kazakhstan so a card is not frozen on the first withdrawal.
Keep the receipt from an exchange office until you have left the country; it is useful if a note is questioned (check).
Count your change in tenge, especially in markets and taxis where large notes circulate.
Prices for tours, drivers and park fees are often quoted per person or per car — confirm which before you agree.
A small amount of tenge left at the end of a trip may be hard to exchange outside Kazakhstan, so spend it down before you fly (check).
- Withdraw in larger amounts to reduce per-transaction fees.
- Carry a mix of 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 tenge notes (check).
- Keep cash separate from your cards in case of loss.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What currency is used in Kazakhstan?
The Kazakhstani tenge, code KZT and symbol ₸. It is the currency used for everyday payments in the country; prices are quoted in tenge, and the rate was roughly 500–530 to the US dollar in 2026 (check).
Where is the best place to exchange money in Kazakhstan?
Exchange offices and banks in Almaty and Astana usually give better rates than hotels or airports (check). Bring clean US dollar or euro notes, compare the posted rate, and avoid street changers. ATMs that dispense tenge are often the simplest option (check).
Is it better to bring cash or use a card in Kazakhstan?
Use both. Cards work in Almaty, Astana, Shymkent and Atyrau (check), while cash in tenge is needed for markets, villages, taxis and national parks (check). Bring some US dollars or euros as a backup and withdraw tenge from bank ATMs (check).
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialNational Bank of Kazakhstan
- officialKazakhstan Tourism (Kazakhstan.travel)
- secondaryWikivoyage – Kazakhstan