Cost of living in Georgia in 2026

8 min read · Published 6 October 2026 · Updated 7 October 2026

One person in Tbilisi needs about $1,000-1,500 a month including rent, and a one-bedroom flat in Vake rents for $600-1,000. In Batumi a seaside flat costs half as much in winter as in summer.

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Key facts	2026
Single person with rent in Tbilisi	$1,000-1,500 a month
Couple	$1,400-2,000 a month
Family with a child	from $2,000 a month
One-bedroom flat in Vake	$600-1,000
Average salary, Q2 2026	~$920 before tax
Visa-free for Russian citizens	up to a year

Data checked: 06.10.2026

Georgia is inexpensive by European standards: market food, wine, cafés and taxis cost little, and rent is usually quoted in dollars. Since 2022 rents in Tbilisi and Batumi have risen noticeably because of newcomers, and the gap between prestigious and residential districts has become significant.

The main expenses are housing and winter heating bills, especially in old buildings. State healthcare mainly serves citizens; foreigners use private clinics and insurance. Tbilisi has international and Russian-speaking private schools.

Who Georgia suits on a budget: remote workers and entrepreneurs who value a visa-free year and the 1% turnover tax for small businesses, and those who want to live by the sea in Batumi on $900-1,400 a month. Anyone planning to work for a Georgian employer should remember the work permit and an average salary of about $920 before tax.

Amounts below are in dollars at the National Bank of Georgia rate for early October 2026, about 2.61 lari to the dollar.

Market food, cafés, wine and taxis in Tbilisi are cheaper than in Moscow, while rent in prestigious districts is comparable to good districts of big Russian cities. Heating bills rise noticeably in winter.

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Prices in 2026: rent, groceries, transport

Monthly item	Tbilisi	Batumi
One-bedroom flat in the centre	$600-1,000	$350-500
One-bedroom flat in a cheaper district	$450-750	$600-900 in summer
Two-bedroom flat in the centre	~$1,400	-
Utilities	cheap in summer, much higher in winter	$40-80
Internet and mobile	$15-25	$15-25
Groceries per person	$150-250	$150-250
Lunch in an inexpensive café	$10-15	$10-15

Rents are for furnished flats on a long lease. In Tbilisi the priciest districts are Vake and Mtatsminda; cheaper are Saburtalo, Didube, Gldani and Isani. In Batumi price depends on distance from the sea and the season: in summer flats are let to tourists by the day.

In Tbilisi rent is almost always quoted in dollars and paid in cash or by transfer to a Georgian account, so a local bank account is needed from the first month.

Monthly budget: single, couple, family with a child

Household	Per month
Single person	$1,000-1,500
Couple	$1,400-2,000
Family with a child	from $2,000

The single budget assumes a one-bedroom flat in Tbilisi, groceries, phone, utilities and moderate café spending. For a family the total depends on the district, nursery or school and insurance, so we calculate the exact sum in the chat.

A visa-free year is no reason to live without a plan

In Georgia the budget is broken not by prices but by rules: from 2026 you cannot work without a work permit even in the visa-free year, rent is quoted in dollars and raised on renewal, and in Batumi the summer rate is double the winter one. We help choose a city and district for your budget, check the lease, arrange a work permit, sole trader registration or residence, and open an account with a Georgian bank.

The cost of support depends on the residence grounds and your family; a manager will calculate it in the chat.

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What to pay in the first month

Rental deposit: usually one month's rent.
First month's rent in Tbilisi: $450-1,000 for a one-bedroom flat.
Residence fee: about $120 with a 30-day review; work permit about $80.
Private health insurance.
A Georgian SIM card and a bank account to pay rent.

For the first three months one person in Tbilisi needs from $3,500 with rent, deposit, insurance and living costs.

Where to live: comparing cities

Tbilisi is the capital, home to most jobs, schools, clinics and almost all state services. A one-bedroom flat in Vake costs $600-1,000 a month, in Saburtalo $450-750. A two-bedroom flat in the centre is about $1,400.

Batumi is a Black Sea resort. A long-term one-bedroom flat by the sea costs $350-500, the same flat in summer $600-900. A comfortable single budget is $900-1,400 a month, an economical one $700-800. Healthcare is private and inexpensive, but serious cases go to Tbilisi or Turkey.

Kutaisi and smaller towns are cheaper still, but have noticeably fewer jobs and services for foreigners.

In Batumi a long-term seaside flat is cheaper, $350-500 for a one-bedroom, but summer prices are double and there are fewer jobs and schools. Tbilisi costs more, but everything a family needs is at hand.

Districts and prices in detail: Tbilisi, Batumi.

Healthcare and insurance

State healthcare in Georgia mainly serves citizens; foreigners use private clinics and insurance. Tbilisi has a wide choice of clinics at moderate prices.

In Batumi private healthcare is inexpensive but limited: for serious cases people go to Tbilisi or Turkey, about twenty minutes to the border.

Schools and nurseries

Tbilisi has international and Russian-language private schools, priced by curriculum and grade. State schools teach in Georgian.

Batumi has a much smaller choice of private schools and nurseries, so families with children more often choose Tbilisi.

Salaries and taxes

The average nominal salary in Georgia in Q2 2026 was about 2,389 lari, about $920 before tax, according to the National Statistics Office. Salaries in Tbilisi and in information technology are noticeably higher.

Salary tax is 20%. A sole trader with small business status pays 1% of turnover within a set limit, so many newcomers work this way. From 2026 a foreigner needs a work permit to work.

How to cut costs

Rent in Saburtalo, Didube or Isani rather than Vake.
In Batumi sign a one-year lease from autumn: the winter rate is half the summer one.
Buy groceries at markets rather than supermarkets next door.
Check the heating before signing: old buildings are expensive in winter.
Fix the rent in dollars for the whole lease so it is not raised on renewal.

Another way to save is to live in Batumi from autumn to spring and travel in summer: the winter rent by the sea is half the summer rate.

This topic in other countries

Cost of living in other countries:

FAQ

How much money do you need to live in Georgia?

One person needs $1,000-1,500 a month in Tbilisi with rent, $900-1,400 in Batumi. To start, with a deposit and insurance, you need from $3,500.

How much does it cost to live in Georgia per month?

One person in Tbilisi with rent needs about $1,000-1,500 a month, a couple $1,400-2,000, and a family with a child from $2,000.

How much is rent in Tbilisi?

A one-bedroom flat in Vake costs $600-1,000 a month, in Saburtalo $450-750. A two-bedroom flat in the centre is about $1,400.

How much does it cost to live in Batumi?

A comfortable single budget is $900-1,400 a month, an economical one $700-800. A seaside flat on a long lease is $350-500, in summer $600-900.

What is the average salary in Georgia in 2026?

In Q2 2026 the average nominal salary was about 2,389 lari, about $920 before tax.

How much do groceries cost in Georgia?

Groceries for one person cost about $150-250 a month. Vegetables, fruit, cheese and wine are cheaper at markets than in supermarkets.

Can you work in Georgia without a visa?

Russian citizens need no visa for up to a year, but from 2026 a foreigner needs a work permit to work.

How much does moving to Georgia cost?

For the first 3 months one person needs from $3,500 in Tbilisi with rent, deposit, insurance and living costs.

Is health insurance needed in Georgia?

Yes, state healthcare mainly serves citizens, so foreigners use private clinics and insurance.

Are there Russian schools in Tbilisi?

Yes, Tbilisi has Russian-language and international private schools.

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