Uzbekistan
Currency in Uzbekistan: what to use and how to exchange
Uzbekistan uses the Uzbek soʻm (UZS), roughly 12,000–13,000 to the US dollar in 2026 (check). Bring clean, unmarked US dollar or euro notes and change them at a bank or hotel in Tashkent or Samarkand; cards work in city hotels and larger restaurants but cash still decides your day in bazaars, taxis and small towns.
- 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
GuideUzbekistan
Key facts
- Currency
- Uzbek soʻm (UZS); 100 soʻm = 1 tiyin, but tiyin coins are not used in practice
- Rate, 2026 estimate
- About 12,000–13,000 UZS to 1 USD (check)
- Best notes to bring
- US dollars or euros, clean and unmarked; 100 and 50 denominations
- Where to change
- Banks, hotel desks and official exchange offices in Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara
- Cards
- Accepted at city hotels, larger restaurants and some museums; carry cash elsewhere
- ATMs
- Common in Tashkent and Samarkand; less reliable in Khiva and small towns
- Tipping
- Often a 10–15% service charge in restaurants; otherwise round up
Details
The soʻm is a cash currency. Outside hotel lobbies and a growing number of city restaurants, most of what you pay for in a day — bazaar produce, a shared taxi, a plate of plov, a museum ticket in a small town — is settled in notes. Plan to carry a few hundred thousand soʻm on you and top up every two or three days rather than hunting for a working ATM mid-sightseeing.
Bringing foreign cash is still the simplest approach. US dollars are the most widely accepted foreign note, with euros a close second. Notes should be clean, unmarked and not torn: a folded or pen-marked bill can be refused at a bank counter or a hotel desk. Smaller denominations are useful for the first day before you reach a bank.
Change money at a bank branch, an official exchange office, or your hotel desk. Rates in Tashkent and Samarkand are usually close to each other; hotel desks are convenient but tend to be a little worse. Ask for a mix of denominations — a stack of the largest notes is awkward for small purchases, and a stack of the smallest is a brick in your pocket.
Cards are improving but not dependable. Visa and Mastercard work at larger hotels, some restaurants and a few museums in Tashkent and Samarkand. In Khiva, in village guesthouses and at bazaar stalls, assume cash only. Keep a card as a backup, not as your main wallet.
ATMs exist in Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara, and are thinner on the ground in Khiva and the Fergana Valley. Withdrawal limits per transaction are often low, so you may need several attempts. Check with your bank before you fly about foreign transaction fees and whether your card is enabled for Uzbekistan.
| Situation | What to use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel, larger restaurant in Tashkent | Card or cash | Cards increasingly accepted |
| Bazaar, small shop, street food | Cash (soʻm) | No cards in practice |
| Shared taxi, marshrutka | Cash (soʻm) | Small notes help |
| Museum ticket, big city | Cash, sometimes card | Varies by site |
| Village guesthouse | Cash (soʻm or USD) | Confirm before arrival |
| ATM withdrawal | Card | Limits per transaction can be low |
Summary table
A quick reference for the first 24 hours and the rest of the trip.
| Item | Value | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Currency name | Uzbek soʻm (UZS) | no |
| USD rate, 2026 estimate | 12,000–13,000 UZS | yes |
| Best foreign cash | USD or EUR, clean notes | no |
| Cards accepted | City hotels, larger restaurants | no |
| ATMs | Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara | no |
| Tipping | 10–15% service charge common | no |
Tips
Change a small amount at the airport on arrival for taxi and a snack, then change the rest in the city at a better rate.
Keep a photo of your passport and entry stamp on your phone; some exchange counters ask for ID.
Count your soʻm before you leave the counter — the numbers are large and easy to misread.
Carry a small fold of low-denomination notes for tips, taxis and bazaar purchases.
If you plan to travel beyond the cities, take enough cash for the whole leg; ATMs thin out fast.
Questions people ask
What currency is used in Uzbekistan?
The Uzbek soʻm (UZS). In 2026 the rate is roughly 12,000–13,000 soʻm to the US dollar (check). Prices in hotels and some tour operators may be quoted in US dollars, but you pay in soʻm.
Where is the best place to exchange money in Uzbekistan?
Bank branches and official exchange offices in Tashkent and Samarkand usually give the closest rate to the market. Hotel desks are convenient but tend to be slightly worse. Change a small amount at the airport and the rest in the city.
Is it better to bring cash or use a card in Uzbekistan?
Bring cash. Cards work at larger city hotels and restaurants, but bazaars, taxis, small towns and village guesthouses are cash only. Use a card as backup and carry enough soʻm for the day.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check