Kyrgyzstani Som
Get ready for your trip to Kyrgyzstan. Order your Kyrgyzstani Som at Manor FX today. Our great exchange rates mean you'll have more KGS cash to spend. Have your Kyrgyzstani Som banknotes delivered securely to your home or office, or pick them up from the Manor FX bureau near London Heathrow.
Manor FX offers fast delivery times and a fuss-free online ordering process for your Kyrgyzstani som travel money.
Travel advise: payments in Kyrgyzstan
Jet off well-informed to Kyrgyzstan. Here are some handy facts about cash and card payments in the Kyrgyz Republic.
Kyrgyzstan has recently made efforts to become a digital economy, and card payments are now supported more than they used to be. However the economy in the Kyrgyz Republic is still mainly cash-based.
Card payments are widely accepted in the capital city Bishkek, as well as in the provincial cities of Osh, Jalal-Abad, Karakol and Tokmok. ATM's are also widely available here.
Your bank may charge you for international card payments and ATM withdrawals in Kyrgyzstan. In addition your bank's KGS to GBP exchange rate may be very uncompetitive. This is how banks make money. Before using your bank card for payments in Central Asia it's certainly a good idea to contact your bank. This will avoid your card becoming blocked due to international transactions that your bank may find suspicious.
Cash remains the most popular payment method in Kyrgyzstan, and you'll need cash for day-to-day purchases for items including groceries, public transport and taxi rides.
Street vendors are common in Kyrgyzstan. Traditional Kyrgyz food is sold on many markets and street food vending sites in Bishkek. Cash is in most cases the only method of payment accepted by street vendors in Kyrgyzstan.
Prices in Kyrgyzstan are very cheap compared to prices at home. The average cost of living in Kyrgyzstan is 65% lower than prices in the United Kingdom.
For a coffee in a cafe in Bishkek you can expect to pay around 120 KGS. A three-course meal will set you back around 1600 KGS.
Kyrgyzstan is still mostly off the tourist map, and tipping is not widespread generally. However tipping is common in the tourist economy and in the larger international hotels in Bishkek.
Western style tipping is advised, with a 10-15% tip of up to 300 som for a meal. Wages in kyrgyzstan are low and therefore your tip will be much appreciated, while serving as a great incentive/thank you for excellent service.
Banknotes in Kyrgyzstan
KGS banknotes in use in Kyrgyzstan are 20 som, 50 som, 100 som, 200 som, 500 som, 1000 som and 5000 som. The banknotes are dated 2009 and 2016. Commemorative KGS banknotes dated 2010 and 2017 are also legal tender.
Older Kyrgyz banknotes, issued since 1993, are still legal tender but are rarely found in circulation.
Coins in Kyrgyzstan
Kirghizian coins range from 10 tiyin (0.10 som) to 10 soms. Kyrgyzstani Som coins feature the country's national coat of arms and the word 'Com'.
Kyrgyzstan's currency import and export regulations
Travellers to Kyrgyzstan can take up to $3,000 USD worth of currency without needing to declare. Amounts exceeding $3,000 USD must be declared on arrival.
There is an import limit of $10,000 USD worth of foreign currency per person. Only local residents are allowed to import and export Kyrgyzstani Som.
Ordering Kyrgyzstani Som online
Order Kyrgyzstani Som online and have them delivered fast and securely to your home or office, with Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed®. Or pick them up from our travel money shop near Heathrow. Click here to buy Kyrgyzstani Som online.
Selling back Kyrgyzstani Som
If you have Kyrgyzstani Som to sell, follow this link to exchange Kyrgyzstani Som to Pounds, click on 'sell currency' and select 'KGS Kyrgyzstani Som'. We'll pay good rates for your leftover Kyrgyzstani Som.
