ATM rates v black market? KAZ/TAJ/KYR

[wombat]

Hi.
I understand that for Uzbekistan, best option is to change US$ cash on black-market, and only a fool withdraws local currency from an ATM.
What about Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan and Krygyzstan? I will be carrying US$ cash, but would like to use ATMs some of the time. So, in which of these countries is there no real difference between the black market rate and the bank/official rate of exchange? Is Uzbekistan the only place where it is inadvisable to make local cash withdrawls?
Thanks.

[steven]

Yea, Uzbekistan only. There is a difference in Tajikistan as well, but it is much smaller. Kazakh and Kyrgyz do not have a black market.

[bwv812]

You can get US dollars at a few ATMs in Uzbekistan (which seem to be out of $ with some frequency), and at a lot of/most ATMs in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

[wombat]

thanks

[Xander]

FWIW, I've recently been in e-mail correspondence with the owner of the Green House hostel in Dushanbe and he said that there isn't really a black market anymore in Tajikistan, the rate is now at its it's true value.

[steven]

Thanks!

[Guy]

Can anyone shed any light on whether this thread is still relevant due to its age?

Ty