Money, cards and ATMs in Kyrgyzstan

The som

• The Kyrgyz som (KGS) is the currency and Kyrgyzstan is one of the cheapest countries in Asia to travel in.
• Exchange offices are everywhere in Bishkek and give good rates for US dollars and euros. Bring clean, unmarked notes.
• The FCDO advises care at exchange offices and in the bazaars, particularly Osh Bazaar in Bishkek, where pickpockets target tourists. Count money before you walk away and not on the street.

Cards and cash

• Cards work in Bishkek - hotels, restaurants, supermarkets - and in Osh and Karakol to a lesser extent.
• Everything else is cash. Guesthouses, yurt stays, drivers, horses, marshrutkas, village shops.
• Take out several days' worth before leaving a town with a bank, and considerably more before a trek. There are no machines at Song-Kul.
• Small notes. Nobody in a village can break a 5,000 som note.

Medical costs

• There is no reciprocal healthcare agreement and you will pay. Insurance covering treatment and repatriation is essential - see the health section, where the reason is starker than usual.

Costs

• A guesthouse, three meals and a shared taxi cost very little. Kyrgyzstan is where a small budget goes a long way.
• Guided treks, horses and drivers are where the money actually goes, and they are worth it.

Tipping

• Not deeply expected, but 10% in a Bishkek restaurant is normal and guides and drivers appreciate it.