# Uzbek som: currency and cash

> The Uzbek som (UZS) is the local currency. Bring US dollars or euros in cash — ATMs work but often run dry, and card acceptance is patchy outside hotels and top restaurants.

**Local currency**: Uzbek som (UZS). Exchange rate as of 2026 is roughly 12,000–13,000 UZS to 1 USD; check current rates before you travel.

**Bring cash**. Even in 2026 Uzbekistan is still a cash-first country. Bring:
- **US dollars** — the most useful. New, clean, undamaged notes only. Any tear, ink mark, or fold at the corner and exchange booths reject the note.
- **Euros** — accepted at banks and better exchange booths, slightly worse rates than USD.
- **Larger notes preferred** ($100 bills get better rates than $20s at exchange booths, though $50 and $100 are functionally equivalent).

**Exchanging**:
- Best rates: **licensed exchange booths** inside larger hotels or the central Bukhara/Samarkand tourist zones.
- Banks: fair rates, requires passport, opens at 9:00.
- Airport: OK rates, useful for a first tranche.
- **Never use black-market street changers**. It was common pre-2017 currency liberalisation; today it's slower and illegal.

**ATMs**:
- Most work with Visa and Mastercard. Amex rarely.
- Withdrawal limits are low (usually 4–6 million UZS per transaction, ~$300).
- Frequently out of cash — try 2–3 machines before giving up.
- Best chances: bank branches on weekday mornings.

**Card payments**:
- Accepted at 4- and 5-star hotels, larger restaurants, and modern supermarkets.
- Not accepted at chaikhanas, bazaars, taxis, small shops.
- Some cafés advertise "card accepted" but the terminal is broken half the time.

**Rough daily budget** (2026, mid-range):
- Meals: $15–30
- Local transport: $5–15
- Sightseeing entries: $5–15
- Hotel double: $50–120
- Total: $80–180 per person per day.

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Keywords: money, som, currency, cash, USD, ATM
Updated: 2026-08-15
Category: tips
URL: https://uzbguidedtours.com/kb/kb-tips-currency-uzbek-som