What budget to travel Uzbekistan? Money and currency

What budget for activities and outings Uzbekistan?

Uzbekistan applies a double entry fee to major monuments and museums, with tourists paying more than locals. Nevertheless, tour prices are very affordable compared with France (between 15,000 and 40,000 soums or 1.50 to 3 EUR). In some cases, you'll have to pay extra to take photos with a camera and a zoom lens, or to film, or to benefit from a guided tour or audio guide. Photographs taken with mobile phones pose no problem in most cases, except at prayer time in mosques or mausoleums.

The city of Khiva has introduced a two-day visitor's pass valid for most monuments: 200,000 soums (around 15 EUR). The price for a 3-hour guided tour is 25 EUR per person (in French or English).

The landscapes and terrain of Uzbekistan, particularly in the south and east of the country, are ideal for hiking in the Zamin reserve and in the Fansky mountains on the border with Tajikistan, where a small network of home-stay accommodation is developing in mountain villages. These activities are increasingly developed by agencies offering multi-day excursions.

Running is very popular, especially in Tashkent, where you can train all year round. Follow the Tashkent Runners on Instagram, their program or their tips. You can also run around the ramparts of Khiva or in the old town of Bukhara towards the Ark and the Bazaar. Trail enthusiasts can sign up for the Samarkand Trail in May.

All over the country, you'll find handcrafted souvenirs at very affordable prices (ceramics, scarves, knives...) as well as more expensive products: Bukhara carpets, miniatures... Uzbekistan's best craftsmen, whose work is sometimes protected by Unesco, are grouped together in workshop-boutiques in the heart of heritage areas. In this case, the budget may be higher. They can be found mainly in the Ferghana Valley, Khiva and Bukhara. Some galleries in Tashkent are also worth a visit.

While credit cards are increasingly accepted in classic stores, cash remains the most common means of payment. There are cash dispensers everywhere, so don't worry.

What budget to eat Uzbekistan?

In Uzbekistan, food isn't very expensive, especially in small neighborhood tchaikhanas or bazaars. Menus are always more or less the same, but the ingredients vary according to the season: soup, tomato-onion salad, chachlyks (meat skewers), samsa or plov. Skewers are sold individually (around 30,000 soums).

You'll find more choice in bazaar canteens, with the advantage of being assured of fresh produce. But these usually only operate at lunchtime. However, street vendors are active until the bazaar closes.

In the big cities, the bill may rise a little faster, but you'll be able to treat yourself in some very good restaurants offering excellent specialties, sometimes revisited and modernized, for budgets that are still very reasonable, between €15 and €30.

While credit cards are accepted in tourist areas, cash is still the rule. It's best to pay in soum.

What is the budget for accommodation Uzbekistan?

This will be the main expense of your trip. In the tourist cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, rates can skyrocket during peak tourist periods, and it's not uncommon for establishments to be fully booked, even though the offer is growing considerably. Expect to pay a minimum of €15 per night for the dormitory section of a B&B, €80 for a room in a guesthouse and over €200 for luxury hotels. The advantage of these accommodations: breakfasts are often pantagruelic!

Travel budget Uzbekistan and cost of living

The following budgets are per day and per person. They have been established to help you plan your expenses according to the type of trip you are planning.

Budget: around €70. For backpackers, one night's accommodation in the most modest B&Bs (although there are fewer and fewer of these) or hotels from the Soviet period, meals at the bazaar (kebabs, samsa, soups, baklava, pomegranate juice...) and travel by public transport. Admission to most monuments costs between €1.50 and €3.

Comfort budget: €90 to €140. Charming hotels and at least one meal a day in a nice restaurant or chaikhana. You can travel by cab and budget for visits to the country's main monuments and museums, or take the first-class train.

Luxury budget: from €250. That's what you'll need to pay to stay in a luxury hotel and travel by private car with driver and/or accompanied by a guide. The fine restaurants of Tashkent and the luxury hotels of Bukhara and Samarkand will enhance your memories.