Budget · Samarkand · Uzbekistan
Samarkand on a budget
What a trip to Samarkand really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Willard84, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Samarkand is affordable for most international visitors. Budget roughly $30–$55 per person per day on a tight budget, $70–$140 mid-range and $200–$450 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in December–February.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $30–$55 a day
- Mid-range
- $70–$140 a day
- Luxury
- $200–$450 a day
- Local currency
- UZS
- Free sights
- 4
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $30–$55 | $90–$165 | $150–$275 | $210–$385 |
| Mid-range | $70–$140 | $210–$420 | $350–$700 | $490–$980 |
| Luxury | $200–$450 | $600–$1,350 | $1,000–$2,250 | $1,400–$3,150 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Samarkand, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Plate of plov at a plov centre | about 35,000–60,000 som |
| Samarkand bread at the bazaar | about 5,000–10,000 som |
| Pot of green tea | about 5,000–10,000 som |
| Ride-hailing taxi across the city | about 10,000–30,000 som |
| Entry to a major monument | about 50,000–100,000 som |
| Mid-range restaurant dinner | about 100,000–200,000 som per person |
| Guesthouse double room | about US$30–60 |
Money-saving tips
- Carry cash in som for bazaars, taxis and small teahouses; cards are mainly accepted in hotels and larger restaurants.
- Exchange money at banks or hotel exchange desks; newer, undamaged US dollar or euro notes are the easiest to change.
- Eat plov at lunchtime plov centres, which are far better value than tourist restaurants near the Registan.
- Use a ride-hailing app for taxis to avoid negotiating fares at the monuments.
- Bargain politely for souvenirs on Tashkent Street and in the madrasa shops; first prices are often high.
- Visit from November to February for the lowest hotel rates, if you can handle the cold.
Free things to do
- Siab Bazaar — The city's main bazaar sits beside Bibi-Khanym and is where locals buy Samarkand bread, dried apricots, raisins, almonds, spices, halva and crystallised sugar (navat).
- Tashkent Street — This pedestrianised street runs from the Registan to Bibi-Khanym and the Siab Bazaar, lined with souvenir shops selling suzani embroidery, ceramics, ikat silk and carpets.
- University Boulevard and Amir Timur statue — The main avenue of the Russian new town is a long shaded promenade under old plane trees, lined with 19th- and early 20th-century buildings and the university.
- Old Jewish quarter and Gumbaz Synagogue — East of the Registan, the lanes of the old Bukharan Jewish quarter still hold courtyard houses with carved doors and the 19th-century Gumbaz Synagogue.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, couples and solo travellers
Registan and Old Town
Guesthouses in lanes around the three madrasas and the Chorsu dome
$ · Best for food lovers, budget and culture
Siab Bazaar and Bibi-Khanym
Market stalls, bread sellers and the giant mosque at the north end of Tashkent Street
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and first-timers
Gur-e-Amir quarter
Quiet residential streets around Timur's mausoleum
Eating well for less
- Samarkand bread — The bread rows of the Siab Bazaar, or any neighbourhood tandir bakery early in the morning.
- Tandir somsa — Bakeries and stalls near the Siab Bazaar and along busy roads in the morning and at lunchtime.
- Dried fruit and nuts — The dried-fruit halls of the Siab Bazaar, where sellers let you taste before you buy.
Getting around for less
The old town is walkable: the Registan, Gur-e-Amir, Bibi-Khanym, the Siab Bazaar and Shah-i-Zinda all lie within about a 30-minute walk. Ride-hailing taxis cover the outlying sights such as the Ulugh Beg Observatory and Konigil, and high-speed trains link the city to Tashkent and Bukhara.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Samarkand cost?
About $350–$700 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $150–$275 on a tight budget.
+Is Samarkand expensive?
It is affordable for international visitors. Carry cash in som for bazaars, taxis and small teahouses; cards are mainly accepted in hotels and larger restaurants.
+How much money do I need per day in Samarkand?
Roughly $30–$55 on a budget and $70–$140 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Samarkand?
Usually in December–February.