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Kazakhstan has a decimal money system. The name of the national currency is tenge, which means "money" in Turkic languages. One tenge has 100 tyin, which, due to the inflation, are no longer used. Banknotes of the following denominations are currently in circulation: 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 tenge. At the moment, banknotes of smaller value (1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50 tenge)are being replaced with coins. You will have some funny experience trying to get used to recognizing them because some coins of the same denomination are made of a different metall and are of a different size. For example, you can come across a 20 tenge coin twice as big as a 50 tenge coin. So, always check the money you are given.
For more detailed information and pictures of the local money please visit the web-site of the National Bank of Kazakhstan.
Credit cards are accepted by all hotels, restaurants and big stores.
In Kazakhstan, only tenge is in legal circulation. Please remember that it is a crime to pay in any other currency although many locals would be happy to receive hard currency from you.
Generally, it is safe to exchange money even from exchange offices in the streets. Always ask for a certificate for currency export. You may be required to produce such a certificate at the customs on your way back.
Foreign citizens (except for the CIS countries) leaving Kazakhstan are allowed not to declare as much cash as they declared when entering the country. For the amount exceeding the one in your original customs declaration you will have to produce back up documents. Even if you export less money than allowed we advise that you indicate in the customs declaration all the cash you have with you to the last penny. Customs officers in Kazakhstan are unpredictable and it is easy to fall victims of their arbitrariness.
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