Turkey vs Georgia: which to choose in 2026

7 min read · Published 7 October 2026

Georgia costs half as much and does not tax income from abroad, but a passport there takes 10 years. Turkey sells citizenship for property from $400,000. We compare residence, taxes, costs and life.

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Key facts	Verdict
Cheaper to live	Georgia: $1,000-1,500 versus $1,800-2,800 a month
Passport by investment	Turkey - from $400,000, Georgia - no
Residence for property	Turkey from $200,000, Georgia from $150,000
Tax on foreign income	Georgia does not tax it, Turkey gives a 20-year break
Without a visa	Georgia - up to a year for citizens of many countries
Time to a passport	Turkey 5 years, Georgia 10 years

Data checked: 07.10.2026

In short: who each country suits

Georgia - for remote workers and small business owners: 1% turnover tax, no tax on foreign income and half the living costs.
Turkey - for those who want a second passport by investment and a big city or the sea with developed amenities.
If the goal is a passport, Turkey is faster: property from $400,000 within months versus 10 years of living in Georgia.

Turkey and Georgia are neighbours chosen by people who want to live not far from home, without complex visas and with clear rules for foreigners. Georgia wins on simplicity: a long visa-free stay, low taxes and inexpensive living. Turkey wins with a passport by investment, big cities and a warm sea.

Below is a 15-row table and five key differences: residence, the path to citizenship, taxes, cost of living and everyday life.

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Key facts in one table

Parameter	Turkey	Georgia
Without a visa or residence	usually up to 90 days in 180	up to a year for citizens of many countries
Residence for property	from $200,000 in big cities, from $75,000 elsewhere	from $150,000 since 1 March 2026
Residence through work or business	work permit or own company	own company or sole trader
Permanent residence	after 8 years of continuous residence	after 10 years, after 5 with an investment from $300,000
Citizenship	for property from $400,000 within months, or after 5 years of residence	10 years of residence
Current passport	can be kept	can be kept only by presidential decision
Who is a tax resident	more than 6 months in a row within a calendar year; short trips do not break the count	183 days or more in any 12 consecutive months ending in the current year
Income tax	15-40% on a scale, new residents pay no tax on foreign income for 20 years	20% on Georgian income only
Tax for small business	at standard rates	1% of turnover with small business status
Single person budget with rent	$1,800-2,800 a month (Istanbul)	$1,000-1,500 a month (Tbilisi)
One-bedroom flat in the centre	$890-930 (Istanbul)	$600-1,000 (Tbilisi)
Family with a child	from $3,000 a month	from $2,000 a month
Country's passport: visa-free travel	73 countries visa-free and 33 with visa on arrival	79 countries visa-free and 35 with visa on arrival
Currency	Turkish lira, high inflation	Georgian lari
Sea	the Mediterranean and Aegean, Antalya	the Black Sea, Batumi

Turkey and Georgia are chosen by tax on foreign income and the time to a passport

Both countries welcome foreigners easily, but Turkey offers a passport by investment, while Georgia offers low taxes and cheap living. The usual mistakes: buying a home in Turkey below the residence threshold or in a district where residence is not issued, working for Georgian clients without a permit, and counting on 1% turnover tax without checking small business status. We compare the options for your income and family, prepare documents and handle the case up to the resident card or passport. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process, and in most cases a result on the first filing.

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Residence: where it is easier to get

In Turkey a home owner gets residence if the property is worth from $200,000 in big cities and from $75,000 elsewhere, by valuation and paid through a bank. It is renewed every 1-2 years, and in some districts of big cities residence is not issued to foreigners.

In Georgia many foreigners live for up to a year without a visa or residence. For a longer stay the grounds are work, your own company or sole trader status, and since 1 March 2026 property from $150,000. Since 2026 working for local clients without a permit leads to expulsion, so the ground is chosen in advance.

Citizenship: where it is faster

Turkey sells a passport: property from $400,000 held for 3 years gives citizenship within months, and the family joins the application. Ordinary naturalisation comes after 5 years of residence, and you keep your current passport.

In Georgia a passport comes after 10 years of residence, with exams in language, history and law. You can keep your current citizenship only by presidential decision, so Georgia is a long road to a second passport.

Taxes: where they are lower

Turkey taxes residents at 15-40% on a scale, but the law gives new residents 20 years without tax on foreign income. You become a tax resident after 6 months in a row in the country in a calendar year.

Georgia charges 20% only on Georgian income and does not tax income from abroad. An entrepreneur with small business status pays 1% of turnover, which is why remote workers and freelancers choose Georgia for its taxes.

Cost of living: where it is cheaper

Georgia is noticeably cheaper: one person in Tbilisi needs about $1,000-1,500 a month with rent, in Istanbul $1,800-2,800. A one-bedroom flat in a good part of Tbilisi costs $600-1,000, in central Istanbul about $890-930.

In Turkey inflation drives costs: lira prices rise fast and rent is increasingly quoted in dollars. The lari is steadier, but rents in popular parts of Tbilisi have also risen in recent years.

Everyday life: banks, climate, schools

Istanbul is a megacity with international schools, private clinics, direct flights worldwide and the sea, and Antalya is a resort with warm winters. Turkish banks open accounts for foreigners with residence and a tax number.

Tbilisi is more compact and calmer, and Batumi offers the Black Sea. Georgian banks open accounts for foreigners quickly, often on the day you apply, but there are fewer international schools and doctors of Istanbul's level.

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FAQ

Which is better to move to: Turkey or Georgia?

Georgia for remote work and small business with low taxes and cheap living; Turkey for a second passport by investment and life in a big city by the sea.

Is it cheaper to live in Turkey or Georgia?

Georgia: one person in Tbilisi needs about $1,000-1,500 a month with rent, in Istanbul $1,800-2,800.

Where is residence easier to get: Turkey or Georgia?

In Georgia many foreigners need no residence for the first year. In Turkey it is granted for property from $200,000 in big cities and renewed every 1-2 years.

Where are taxes lower: Turkey or Georgia?

In Georgia: 20% on Georgian income only and 1% of turnover for small business. Turkey charges 15-40%, but new residents pay no tax on foreign income for 20 years.

Where is citizenship faster?

In Turkey: within months for property from $400,000, or after 5 years the ordinary way. In Georgia after 10 years of residence.

Can you keep your current passport?

In Turkey, yes. In Georgia you can keep your current citizenship only by presidential decision.

Which is better for a family with children: Turkey or Georgia?

Istanbul has more international schools and private clinics; Tbilisi is cheaper but has fewer schools to choose from.

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