With a welcoming tourist visa program, western conveniences, and generally affordable cost of living in Tbilisi, Georgia is gradually developing a reputation as a popular destination for expats.
While most people are aware that Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital, is truly a cheap place to live, many people are curious about the actual cost of living there.
Tbilisi is a very alluring alternative for people looking for a cheap, convenient base because of its growing digital nomad community and laid-back atmosphere that is distinct from everywhere else in Europe.
We have a fair notion of the cost of living in Tbilisi as an expat or digital nomad after visiting the Georgian city several times throughout our Caucasus adventures and ultimately decided to use it as a temporary base.
We’ve discovered that you can live quite well in Tbilisi on a considerably lower wage and that it offers an ideal basis for individuals who wish to be in a European city without having to put up with the exorbitant costs of Western and Central Europe.
Cost of Rent & Utilities in Tbilisi
The cost of rent and utilities is what prospective expats are most interested in learning about when calculating the cost of living in Tbilisi. You’re in luck if you don’t want to pay a significant sum of money for housing. If you’re relocating to Tbilisi on a Western wage, the cost of rent won’t break the bank because Tbilisi boasts among the lowest property expenses in all of Europe.
However, as in many cities, the cost of an apartment in Tbilisi will vary depending on the area you’re interested in and the kind of residence you want to rent.
For instance, a recently refurbished 1-bedroom apartment five minutes walk from Liberty Square will cost substantially more than an equivalent apartment elsewhere.
Taking all of this into account, you should prepare to pay between $400 and $500 USD a month if you’re seeking to rent a new or refurbished apartment in a good neighbourhood
(but outside of the Old Town or Liberty Square/Rustaveli region).
This is for something with all of the contemporary comforts that you would be accustomed to in Western Europe or North America, including brand-new appliances, air conditioning, and other amenities.
You may quickly locate an apartment for closer to $250–350 USD per month if it is a bit outside of your budget or you don’t mind living somewhere a little more “traditional” and not recently remodelled. Once more, this is in an area like Saburtalo or Marjanishvili that is rather remote from the busiest tourist areas.
It is important to note that the majority of landlords do prefer to receive US dollar cash payments for rent.
You would think that’s suspicious, especially if you’re from a Western nation where everything is done according to the book, but in Georgia, this is just how things are done, so there’s nothing intrinsically dubious about it.
There are many choices available while searching for a flat when it comes to locating the ideal location to reside. At any one time, there are innumerable flats available in Tbilisi, making it a true renter’s market.
Cost of Groceries & Restaurants in Tbilisi
While rent and utilities will likely make up the majority of your Tbilisi living expenses, food will probably come in a close second. The cost of food can also vary greatly, from restaurant meals to grocery store costs, much like the cost of the rent.
Your monthly food budget might be quite low if you stick to local foods and eateries; however, as soon as you start purchasing imported and foreign goods, you’ll see costs start to grow. Certain imported goods may cost more to purchase in foreign supermarket chains than they would at home.
However, you will discover that your shopping expenditure dramatically decreases if you buy more locally made goods (even in a Carrefour or Spar).
Additionally, we advise purchasing your fresh produce from the neighbourhood markets or roadside shops These not only frequently feature higher-quality products, but you also have the additional advantage of directly supporting regional farmers and businesses rather than a large conglomerate.
Prices at restaurants might also vary, You can have it for a very reasonable price if you go to a divey, hole-in-the-wall restaurant with a modest menu serving up regional specialties and handmade wine.
It may be substantially more expensive if you go to a high-end restaurant providing “Modern Georgian” or other cuisines, However, you’ll discover that Georgian restaurant costs truly don’t even come close to matching those in northern or Western Europe.
Like other places, you’ll find that cooking at home most of the time and sometimes eating out will be far better for your total cost of living in Tbilisi.
Cost of Transportation in Tbilisi
If you walk to most locations and use public transit frequently, a percentage of your living expenses won’t even scratch the surface when we discuss the cost of transportation in Tbilisi.
Tbilisi has quite a strong public transportation system, including a metro that may make getting about the city centre very simple To ride it, you must purchase a metro card, which will set you back 2 GEL ($0.66 USD).
Within a 90-minute window, each additional ride will cost 1 GEL ($0.33 USD), therefore you will only pay 1 lari for whichever number of rides you may take.
Various travel cards are also offered if you want to utilize the public transportation system more frequently than buying a single ticket would allow, Buses are also affordable, although they might be a little trickier to utilize.
Fortunately, Google Maps has the majority of routes available and makes it easy to use and get the hang of, Your metro card is also valid for usage on city buses You can go to most places in the Old Town and core parts of Tbilisi on foot, and the city centre is also very accessible.
Taxis are another common method of transportation in Tbilisi, although being by far the most expensive. Although using a cab instead of the subway is substantially more expensive, they are still extraordinarily cheap when compared to elsewhere in Western or central Europe.
Depending on the distance travelled and the amount of traffic, a taxi will often cost 5 GEL ($1.75 USD) to get anywhere in the city centre of Tbilisi.
Using a taxi app is preferable to flagging one down on the street.
Although Georgia doesn’t have Uber, there are applications that function quite similarly.
To get a cab in Tbilisi, we advise utilizing the apps Bolt, Yandex Cab, or Maxim.
This will link you with a trustworthy driver and spare you from haggling over the price
(taxis in Tbilisi don’t have meters).
Overall, you really don’t need to take that much into account when calculating your
transportation expenses to Tbilisi. If you’re anything like us, you’ll often walk instead of
using the subway.
We occasionally use cabs, although it only happens once a week or less
All things considered, it would be reasonable to assume that your monthly transportation
expenses in Tbilisi will be under $15 USD.
Cost of Activities & Entertainment in Tbilisi
Once more, how much you spend on activities as part of your overall cost of living in Tbilisi
depends largely on your personal interests and way of life. To help you plan your budget,
I will try to offer you a broad concept.
If you enjoy staying in shape, you’ll be relieved to learn that a gym membership doesn’t cost
the extortionate amount it sometimes does in the West (and you won’t be forced to sign a
binding contract either!).
For instance, a modest gym’s unrestricted membership costs roughly $25 per month,
while less restrictive alternatives are less expensive. Although there are more expensive,
upscale gyms and multinational chains, staying in shape in Tbilisi doesn’t need spending a fortune.
It’s important to note that Tbilisi isn’t the friendliest place to run in at this point.
Since the sidewalks are congested, crowded, and frequently occupied by autos,
it would undoubtedly be challenging to maintain a steady pace. The city’s parks were not
also designed with runners in mind.
Additionally, Tbilisi offers yoga studios and other fitness programs at affordable rates
compared to other European cities (most of which are taught in English).
There are numerous cities and areas that you may easily visit on a weekend trip from Tbilisi,
as well as many wonderful tours and attractions to explore elsewhere in Georgia.
You may easily travel from the capital to mountain communities like Kazbegi, the lovely hill town of Sighnaghi, and even the spa city of Borjomi for less than $50 USD for the entire weekend.
There are some vibrant expat groups as well, and meet-ups are free if you’re interested
in getting out and socializing. Making friends with those who share your interests can also
make it much simpler to live as an expat in Tbilisi.
Even if the casual get-togethers are free, it’s possible that they’ll happen often in a bar
where you’ll have to pay for your beverages. But just as with groceries, you’ll discover that
buying locally-produced alcohol is significantly less expensive than buying imported alcohol.
It only costs 5-8 GEL ($1.50-2.50 USD) for a craft beer in Tbilisi, and the same is true
for a glass of inexpensive local wine As is the situation in any city in the globe, prices
tend to increase when items become more upscale or imported.
As I previously stated, the amount that hobbies and entertainment will contribute to your
typical cost of living in Georgia actually relies on your own particular habits.
You will pay more if you are a major extrovert who enjoys going out on the town every weekend and has pricey pastimes that cost money. Your entertainment expenses will be small if you are a couch potato who would prefer to stay in and watch a movie at home
than go out to a pub with lots of other people.
If you don’t plan to go out to parties frequently, you should budget $25 to $50 a month for
activities and entertainment in Tbilisi.
Average Monthly Cost of Living in Tbilisi
These are the typical prices you should anticipate paying if you’re thinking about moving
to Georgia’s capital, taking into account all of the aforementioned Tbilisi living expenses.
Notably, this is presuming you just require a one-bedroom apartment and that you want to
remain for a little longer than three months.
Rent/Utilities:
$250-500 USD/month, depending on where you choose to live and if you are living alone or with a partner, flatmate, or spouse
Food:
$150-200 USD/month, depending on your habits
Transportation:
$15 USD/month
Activities & Entertainment:
$25-50 USD/month
Overall, depending on your lifestyle and housing arrangements, you may anticipate
paying $440 to $665 a month on average for living expenses in Tbilisi. Obviously,
as long as you’re sharing housing costs, it’s absolutely feasible to have your average monthly
cost of living in Tbilisi be less than $500 per person while still enjoying a comfortable lifestyle.
If you make certain sacrifices or set new financial goals, it is also extremely easy to lower this price.
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