Central Asia & Caucasus

Money, cards and tipping in Uzbekistan

Capital: TashkentUzbek, Russian, TajikUpdated October 2026

UZSSom

Money in Uzbekistan

Mixed: cards and cash Visa and Mastercard work in hotels, supermarkets and many city restaurants; local Uzcard/Humo cards dominate elsewhere. Carry cash for bazaars, taxis and smaller towns. US$1 ≈ so'm11,813.00 (03 Oct 2026).

Key facts

Tipping: Restaurants often add a 10–15% service charge; check the bill. Otherwise rounding up is enough.
ATMs: ATMs taking foreign cards are common in Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara, some dispensing dollars; scarcer in smaller towns.
Paying by phone: Payme and Click need an Uzbek card; contactless foreign cards work where Visa or Mastercard is accepted.
Price level: about 29% of US prices (World Bank PPP).

Cash or card, by place

Place	Cards	Notes
Tashkent	Mixed: cards and cash	Visa and Mastercard work in malls, hotels and many restaurants; cash for bazaars, taxis and small shops. Carry some Uzbek soum.
Samarkand	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards work in hotels, better restaurants and shops; bazaars, taxis and small cafés want cash.
Bukhara	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards work at hotels and some restaurants; teahouses, bazaars and taxis prefer cash.
Khiva	Mostly cash	Hotels may take cards but small guesthouses, cafés and taxis want cash. Withdraw soum before arriving.

Quick answers

Do you tip in Uzbekistan?

Restaurants often add a 10–15% service charge; check the bill. Otherwise rounding up is enough.

Is Uzbekistan cashless?

Mixed: cards and cash. Visa and Mastercard work in hotels, supermarkets and many city restaurants; local Uzcard/Humo cards dominate elsewhere. Carry cash for bazaars, taxis and smaller towns.

What currency does Uzbekistan use?

The Som (UZS). US$1 ≈ so'm11,813.00 (03 Oct 2026).

Sources

Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.