How Much Does Eating Cost in Uzbekistan: Cafe and Bazaar Prices
Price guidelines for the capital and regions: lunch at a local eatery, dinner at a restaurant, fruit and bread at the market. How to budget for food on a trip.
One of the pleasant surprises for a traveller: eating in Uzbekistan can be both very cheap and very good. The choice is huge, from street samsa to restaurants with live music, and the final bill depends on your style. Below are guidelines to help plan a budget. An important warning: prices change with inflation, exchange rates and season, so all amounts are approximate and should be checked on the spot.
What drives prices
Several factors influence the cost of food:
- City. In Tashkent and the tourist centres of Samarkand and Bukhara, lunch is usually more expensive than in small valley towns or Karakalpakstan.
- Type of venue. A simple local eatery (oshkhona), a cafe, a restaurant or a tourist spot all sit at different price levels.
- Location. Near the main monuments prices are 30 to 50 percent higher.
- Season. Fruit and vegetables are seasonal: cheaper in summer, pricier in winter.
Approximate prices in cafes and local eateries
Below is an approximate range for simple places where locals eat. Amounts are in Uzbek som and are only a rough guide.
| Dish | Approximate range |
|---|---|
| Plov (portion) | 35,000 to 70,000 som |
| Lagman | 30,000 to 60,000 som |
| Shurpa or mastava | 30,000 to 60,000 som |
| Shashlik (one skewer) | 15,000 to 35,000 som |
| Samsa | 8,000 to 20,000 som |
| Manti (portion) | 30,000 to 60,000 som |
| Pot of tea | 5,000 to 20,000 som |
| Flatbread | 4,000 to 10,000 som |
In good restaurants and in the centres of tourist cities prices are 1.5 to 3 times higher, but the portions and setting are different too.
How much lunch and dinner cost
Budget
Lunch at a local eatery where residents eat: a portion of plov or lagman, tea and flatbread. Such a lunch is quite filling and inexpensive. If you take samsa and tea on the street, it is cheaper still.
Mid-range
A cafe with a menu and service: salad, a hot dish, tea or a drink. The amounts will be higher but in most cities remain moderate compared with Europe.
Restaurant
Dinner at a restaurant with national cuisine and a show or live music, especially in Tashkent or Samarkand. Prices are higher here, but you get atmosphere, beautiful interiors and service.
The market: what food costs
Buying food at markets is usually cheaper than in shops and cafes. What you can get:
- Flatbread: inexpensive, fresh and tasty.
- Seasonal fruit: in summer apricots, melons and watermelons are affordable, in winter prices climb.
- Dried fruit and nuts: depends on quality; almonds and pistachios cost more.
- Meat and cheese: pricier, but at the market you can compare sellers.
Read more about choosing dried fruit in our article on nuts and dried fruit. Bargaining is appropriate at markets, but not for fixed-price food.
How to save
- Eat where locals eat. It is almost always tastier and cheaper.
- Choose lunch over dinner. In many places set lunches or ordinary lunches are cheaper than the evening menu.
- Share a dish between two. Portions in Uzbekistan are often large.
- Buy water and fruit at the market.
- Do not order everything at once. Dishes arrive as they are ready, and you can add more later.
- Check prices in advance. If the menu has no prices, ask the waiter.
- Read the bill carefully. In some places a service charge is included, in others it is not.
Tipping
In Uzbekistan tipping is customary in restaurants, usually around 10 percent of the bill if service is not included. In simple eateries and teahouses a tip is optional, but you can leave a small amount for good service. Check what is included in the bill.
Payment
In cities cafes and restaurants accept cards, while small venues and markets more often need cash. Always carry small notes. Exchange money at banks or official exchange offices, not with random people.
A sample daily food budget
| Style | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Economical | Breakfast at a teahouse, lunch at a local eatery, samsa and fruit from the market |
| Comfortable | Breakfast at a cafe, lunch at a restaurant, dinner with tea and sweets |
| Gastronomic | National cuisine restaurants, set menus and tastings |
Exact amounts depend on the city and season, so go by prices on the spot.
Food on the road between cities
On intercity trips, count food costs along the way. If you go to Samarkand, for example, the highway has teahouses where lunch is moderately priced. It pays to stock up on water, dried fruit and flatbread in advance: this saves time and money. For the trip itself, shared rides are convenient: on the Tashkent — Samarkand page drivers post trips with different departure times, and a seat usually costs less than a taxi, so part of the budget can go on good lunches. You book a seat in the Yo'ldosh app. See other directions on the all routes page.
The takeaway
Food in Uzbekistan is not about expense but about choice. Want it cheap and tasty? Go to a local eatery and the market. Want to celebrate the trip? Pick a restaurant in the centre. The main thing is to check prices in advance, carry cash and not hesitate to ask what is in a portion. Then your food budget will be predictable, and the impressions will be richer.
Cover photo: Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.
