Cost of living in Georgia in 2026: monthly budget in Tbilisi and Batumi, rent and expenses

Georgia is cheap for rent and transport and expensive for international schools, and almost every figure you will find online comes from a different method. This article is for people choosing between Tbilisi and Batumi for a year or more, and for owners who plan to live in the property. We show each line with its source and date, add only what we can source, and say plainly what is missing. It is general information, not a statistic or advice; prices change.

How we built the numbers

• Exchange rate: the National Bank of Georgia rates for 24 September 2026, as reproduced by an aggregator, were about GEL 2.9925 per euro and GEL 2.6229 per US dollar, so one euro is roughly 1.141 dollars. We could not find an October 2026 official rate. All euro amounts below are our conversions at this rate.
• Inflation: Geostat reported annual inflation of 5.6% for August 2026 (0.4% over the month, core 3.8%), with transport up 15.2% and food up 5.0% on the year (via 1tv.ge and gbc.ge). Prices are rising, so older blog figures understate today.
• Totals are our own sum of lines that have a source. They are partial and say so.

Rent: the biggest and most uncertain line

For a one-bedroom flat in Tbilisi the sources disagree, which is a method problem, not a mystery:

• Wise lists about USD 687 in the centre (about 602 euro) and USD 435 outside it (about 381 euro).
• Lifeindexed gives about 487 euro a month for 2026, and World Cost of Living about USD 752 (about 659 euro).
• Galt & Taggart recorded an average asking rent of USD 14.2 per m² in Vake in April 2026, the highest of the main districts, and Georgia Today puts a typical Vake apartment at USD 700 to 1,500 or more (about 614 to 1,315 euro and above).

Batumi long-term rents do not seem to swing much by season; the big summer premium is in short-term lets. A Q1 2026 report said average daily rent in Batumi fell 7.3% (gbc.ge), and one guide gives a one-bedroom at USD 300 to 500 off-season and USD 600 to 900 in summer without saying what lease it means. Three individual 2026 listings are only examples: a two-room flat at USD 700 (about 614 euro), a two-bedroom at USD 900 on a 12-month lease (about 789 euro) and a two-bedroom near the Boulevard at USD 1,450 plus utilities (about 1,271 euro). For Kutaisi and regional towns we found no reliable data, so we give none; check local portals. See Batumi vs Tbilisi for the investor view and best areas to buy in Georgia for districts.

Electricity, gas and transport

• Electricity in Tbilisi (Telmico) from 1 April 2026: 20.041, 24.053 and 28.537 tetri per kWh including VAT for 0 to 101, 101 to 301 and above 301 kWh, each 5 tetri higher than before (1tv.ge, Georgia Today). Our assumption of 150 kWh a month gives about GEL 32 (about 11 euro); 300 kWh gives about GEL 68 (about 23 euro).
• Gas: the household tariff is reported unchanged through the end of 2026, and winter bills are the highest because flats are heated with gas (Madloba). We found no current gas or water rates, so they are not in our sums.
• Transport in Tbilisi (travel guides checked in August 2026): GEL 1 for 90 minutes of unlimited bus and metro, GEL 40 for a month (about 13 euro), card GEL 2. One bank promotion shows a cheaper monthly pass; confirm before relying on it. We found no Batumi bus fare.

Health, schools and the right to stay

• Health: sources conflict on whether foreigners can use the universal state programme; some say eligibility depends on residence status and registration. One guide gives private clinic prices of GEL 30 to 80 for a GP visit (about 10 to 27 euro) and GEL 150 to 600 per hospital night (about 50 to 200 euro). We found no annual premium for an expat plan. Some sites report that from 1 January 2026 visitors need travel medical insurance with GEL 30,000 cover, and one says it is not required; check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. See healthcare abroad for EU residents.
• Schools: the Georgian-American School lists GEL 9,500 a year (about 3,175 euro, about 265 a month; year labels on the listing are muddled). Guivy Zaldastanishvili American Academy lists GEL 19,500 for grade 8 and GEL 31,000 for grades 9 to 12 for 2026/27 (about 6,516 and 10,359 euro). QSI lists preschool at USD 4,200 half-day and USD 6,200 full-day, and an ISA guide estimates USD 7,000 to 14,000 a year for primary (about 6,136 to 12,271 euro). Aggregators differ, so confirm with each school. More in schools when relocating.
• Stay: travel sites say citizens of roughly 90 to 95 countries can enter visa-free and stay up to 365 days, but they disagree on whether that is 365 consecutive days or per year, and on whether remote work for a foreign employer is allowed. It is an entry status, not a residence permit. Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for your nationality; see the digital nomad visa and the 183-day rule.

A partial monthly budget from sourced lines

These are our own sums of the lines above, not statistics. They leave out groceries, eating out, internet and mobile, private health insurance, leisure and a car, because we found no reliable figure for them.

• Single person, modest: rent outside the centre 381 + electricity 11 + transport 13 = about 405 euro. Comfortable: central rent 602 + electricity at 300 kWh 23 + transport 13 = about 638 euro.
• Couple, modest: 381 + 11 + two transport passes 27 = about 419 euro. Comfortable: 602 + 23 + 27 = about 652 euro.
• Family of four with two school-age children, modest: a two-bedroom at the low end of Vake, 614 + 23 + 27 + two places at the Georgian-American School 529 = about 1,193 euro. Comfortable: a Batumi two-bedroom at 1,271 + 23 + 27 = 1,321, plus two international-school places at the ISA range of 1,023 to 2,045 a month, so about 2,344 to 3,366 euro.

For the missing lines, third parties give all-in totals for one person that disagree widely: about USD 1,030 including rent (LivingCost.org via pbservices.ge, with almost half of it rent), about 903 euro, and about USD 1,688 (a nomad guide citing Numbeo in April 2026), about 1,480 euro. A third site gave figures near USD 211 to 378 that cannot include rent, so we do not use them. Our reading is only that a single person should plan somewhere around 900 to 1,500 euro all in; price your own supermarket basket and quotes.

Cheaper and dearer than people expect

• Cheaper: public transport and private GP visits.
• Dearer than last year: electricity (the first tier rose from 15.041 to 20.041 tetri, about 33%) and transport prices (up 15.2% on the year in August 2026).
• The largest single line for a family can be school fees: at the ISA range, one child can cost about as much per month as a central one-bedroom.

If you own property here

Running costs, building fees and local taxes are in annual bills for owners abroad, utilities and community fees and home insurance for non-resident owners. Prices and purchase costs are in Georgia property prices and buying costs, and a general introduction in the Georgia property guide.

FAQ

How much do I need per month in Georgia? Plan around 900 to 1,500 euro all in for one person, which is our reading of two disagreeing third-party totals, then check it against your own rent and basket. Is Batumi cheaper than Tbilisi? Long-term rents do not swing much by season; the summer premium is mostly in short lets, and the individual 2026 listings we saw were USD 700 to 1,450 for two-room flats. Can foreigners use state healthcare? Sources conflict; confirm your eligibility and carry private cover.

What this means for you

• Rent decides the budget; get at least three current listings for the district you want.
• Price the missing lines yourself: a supermarket basket, mobile and internet, and a private insurance quote.
• For a family, put school fees in the budget first.
• Check your right to stay with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before signing a long lease.
• If you are buying, compare running costs, not just the price.

We are a Warsaw-based independent consultant and can help compare Tbilisi and Batumi on your budget and introduce a local lawyer. Informational only, not legal, tax or financial advice; figures are indicative as of October 2026.