What Can You Buy in Georgia for $50,000–250,000 in 2026?

Georgia is one of the few places where a budget of $50,000 still buys a flat of your own in a capital or a seaside city. But the same dollars buy very different things in Tbilisi and Batumi, and the cheapest listings are often unfinished buildings. This guide turns the budget range into square metres using 2026 price data, adds the costs on top and flags what to check. It is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice, and we have no listings in Georgia.

What a square metre costs in 2026

Prices come from different series that do not match exactly, so they are shown as ranges. Dollar figures for Georgia's statistics office GeoStat are our conversion from lari at about 2.62 per dollar (National Bank of Georgia rate, 24 September 2026).

• Tbilisi, citywide: primary market about $1,426 per m² and secondary about $1,372 (GBC, July 2026).
• Tbilisi districts, new-build prices in the first quarter of 2026 (GeoStat, our conversion): Mtatsminda about $2,600, Vake about $2,270, Krtsanisi about $1,700, Saburtalo about $1,650, Chugureti about $1,630, Didube about $1,560, Isani about $1,510, Gldani about $1,440, Samgori about $1,390.
• Batumi: Galt & Taggart gives $1,893 for the primary market and $1,479 for resale in March 2026, Colliers $1,455 for new builds, Metropolitan $1,960 for completed primary flats in June 2026. Old Batumi is far higher (about $3,146 per Galt & Taggart); outer areas are reported below $1,500.
• Kutaisi: from about $700 per m² (one undated agent guide), roughly half of Tbilisi.

The trend is calm. GeoStat's index for new flats in Tbilisi rose 4.9% year on year in the second quarter of 2026 (0.9% on the quarter), against inflation of about 3.2% and construction costs up 3.9% (trend.az). The index does not cover Batumi.

What each budget buys

The sizes below are our own arithmetic: budget divided by the price range, before purchase costs and ignoring finish level.

• $50,000–80,000: about 30–36 m² at $50,000 and 48–57 m² at $80,000 in outer Tbilisi districts (Samgori, Gldani, Isani, Didube, Saburtalo at $1,400–1,650). In Batumi, 26–33 m² and 42–53 m² at $1,500–1,950. This is a studio or compact one-bedroom, usually in a newer outer block or an early-stage project. At this level a very cheap offer is often a building without a finished interior or an early off-plan unit.
• $80,000–150,000: a proper one-bedroom or a small two-bedroom. At $150,000 that is about 91 m² in Saburtalo, about 66 m² in Vake, about 79 m² in mainstream Batumi, but only about 48 m² in Old Batumi. This is where choosing the district matters more than the budget.
• $150,000–250,000: our own split of the draft's single top bracket. For $150,000–200,000: about 66–88 m² in Vake, 91–121 m² in Saburtalo, 79–105 m² in Batumi, 48–63 m² in Old Batumi. For $200,000–250,000: about 77–96 m² in Mtatsminda, 88–110 m² in Vake, 105–132 m² in Batumi. This range also reaches the residence threshold (below).

Four buyers, four decisions

• Entry buyer ($50,000–80,000): choose a finished or nearly finished building with a clear handover date over a lower price per m². A saving on an early-stage unit can cost a year of waiting.
• Balanced buyer ($80,000–150,000): compare a resale flat in Tbilisi's Saburtalo or Chugureti with a new Batumi flat of the same price. Tbilisi usually gives more metres and a year-round tenant pool; Batumi gives the coast and seasonal demand.
• Lifestyle buyer ($150,000–200,000): decide whether you pay for the sea view in Batumi or for the central address in Vake. The prices per m² are close but the rental logic differs.
• Upper-range buyer ($200,000–250,000): this is the first range where a central Tbilisi address (Mtatsminda, Vake) fits comfortably. Compare it with two smaller units in Batumi only if you accept the oversupply risk described below.

Costs on top of the price

Georgia has no transfer tax or stamp duty on a purchase, according to one guide (confirm with a lawyer). The usual extras, from agent and law-firm guides rather than official tariffs:

• Public Registry (NAPR) registration: 150 lari for the standard four-day service, 270 faster, 350 the same day (about $57, $103 and $134); another guide gives 50–200 lari.
• Notary: under 0.1% of the price, or $200–500 for a standard purchase. A notarised deed is mandatory if you sign through a power of attorney from abroad.
• Lawyer: 0.5–1% of the price.
• Agent: 3–5%, usually paid by the seller but negotiable and sometimes shared.
• Illustration at a $100,000 purchase, our own arithmetic: $600–1,100 if the agent is paid by the seller, $3,000–5,000 if the fee is shared.
• Yearly: property tax of 0.05–0.2% for most households and 0.8–1% depending on household income, with an exemption on the first 40,000 lari of value (ibccs.tax, 17 September 2026; check with the Revenue Service).

Who can buy, residence and mortgage

Foreigners can buy flats, houses and commercial property. Agricultural land is reserved for Georgian citizens.

Residence: from 1 March 2026 the property route to a one-year temporary residence permit needs property worth $150,000 instead of $100,000 (law-firm summaries). The value is the assessed market value, not the contract price, and several properties can be combined. Sources differ on 'at least' versus 'exceeding' $150,000, so a $150,000 purchase leaves no margin; one source also describes a separate $300,000 route. Read residence through property in Georgia and check with a Georgian lawyer.

Mortgage: banks do lend to non-residents, but the terms in public sources conflict. Dollar loan rates start from about 8% (GBC, data to January 2026). The National Bank reportedly cut the down payment from 30% to 20% for borrowers with income abroad as a temporary measure, while older guides quote 40% down and a 10-year term. Ask the bank for today's offer; see mortgages for foreigners in Georgia and banking and mortgages.

Rent, yield and exit

Tbilisi rents were about $10.1 per m² a month in July 2026 (GBC). On a 50 m² flat bought at $1,500 per m² that is about 8.1% gross, our own arithmetic; after vacancy, management, service charges and tax the net figure is usually several points lower (rental yield in Georgia). In Batumi, gross yields were reported to have fallen from 8.8% in 2024 to 7.4% in 2025, and unsold flats in surveyed projects reached about 12,400 at the end of 2025, up 14% on the year. A large pipeline makes resale harder than the headline price suggests; see Batumi investment risks and Batumi versus Tbilisi.

New build or resale in Georgia

An off-plan flat is bought through a pre-purchase agreement, because a sale contract cannot be concluded for a building that does not exist yet. Title passes after completion, and the agreement defines the construction stages and the payment schedule. A law firm describes consumer protection for buyers as thin, and we did not find a Georgian rule that forces developers to hold buyer money in escrow; treat that as a gap to check, not as proof. Read new build versus resale and how to verify a Georgian developer.

Checks before you reserve

• Order a Public Registry extract: owner, mortgages, seizures.
• Read the pre-purchase agreement: stage definitions, delay penalties, refund terms.
• Ask for the building permit and the project's completion status.
• Ask what the price includes: finishing, parking, furniture, service charge. One furnished aparthotel listing quoted a $1 per m² monthly fee and a 30/70 rental split.
• Use a lawyer who acts only for you, and a notarised power of attorney if you buy remotely (buying remotely).
• Keep a margin above $150,000 if the residence route matters.

FAQ

Does a $150,000 purchase give residence? It gives the right to apply, not residence itself, and the value counted is the assessed one. Because sources differ on the exact wording, buy with a margin and confirm with a lawyer.

What does $80,000 buy in Tbilisi and in Batumi? About 48–57 m² in outer Tbilisi districts and 42–53 m² in mainstream Batumi, by our arithmetic, before costs.

Do I need to travel to buy? No, but the deed must be notarised if you sign through a power of attorney from abroad.

Is a guaranteed-yield aparthotel a safe way to invest? Treat guaranteed or very high projected yields as marketing; check the operator's record, the service charge and what happens if the project stalls.

Bottom line

For $50,000–250,000 Georgia offers more space than most markets in this series, but the cheapest price per m² belongs to outer districts and unfinished projects. Decide the purpose first, then compare Tbilisi and Batumi on the same budget in square metres, add 1–5% for costs, and verify the title and the developer before paying anything.

What this means for a normal buyer

• Compare in square metres and finish level, not in dollars.
• Tbilisi suits year-round use and rent; Batumi suits the coast but has more unsold stock.
• Add 0.6–5% on top of the price depending on who pays the agent.
• Check the residence threshold and your mortgage options before you choose the price.

Areas and neighbourhoods are covered in best areas to buy in Georgia; for prices and a longer cost list see Georgia property prices and buying costs. If you want an independent comparison before you decide, D.H. Realting is a Warsaw-based independent adviser that can compare options and introduce a local lawyer; ask how we are paid, as you would ask anyone.