Uzbekistan is a relatively cheap country to travel in, comparable to Turkmenistan or Iran except for slightly pricier hotels. You may spend more here than in neighbouring countries simply because the chore of registering forces you to spend at least every third night in a hotel to avoid a fine when you leave the country. The beers are also very tempting!
Our daily average for a couple worked out to about $20 U.S. a day using a mix of wild camping, couchsurfing and budget to mid-range hotels. We cooked our own meals when cycling and mostly ate in cafes in the cities.
Some typical costs in April 2008 are listed below, when $1 U.S. bought around 1,315 Som:
Bottle of water – 800 Som
Draft beer in a cafe – 900 Som
Kilogram of apples – 2,000 Som
Kilogram of bananas – 5,000 Som
Kilogram of bulk pasta – 1,200 Som
Kilogram of cucumbers – 800 Som
Kilogram of pickles – 1,000 Som
Kilogram of tomatoes – 2,500 Som
Night in a budget hotel – $10 U.S. per person
Night in a mid-range hotel – $15-20 U.S. per person
One egg – 175-200 Som
One hour internet access – 600-800 Som
Pot of tea for two in a cafe – 400 Som
Round of bread – 400-600 Som
Somsa pastry – 200-400 Som