Cost of living in Georgia per month in 2023: current prices and detailed list of expenses
The cost of living in Georgia is one of the lowest among the countries of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. The state ranked 64th in the list of 197 countries by cost of living and 73rd in the top 100 best countries to live in.
According to the Numbeo platform, as of the end of March 2023, the monthly expenses for a family of four are $2,133, excluding rent. The average cost of living in Georgia for locals is $595.7 per person.
Renting or buying a home traditionally remains the main item of expenditure. A vivid example of the impact of real estate value on total costs is the events of 2022, when, due to mass migration to the country, the rental rate increased from $400-500 per month for a one-room apartment to $1200-1500.
In 2023, with the outflow of migrants from neighboring Russia, rents began to gradually decrease. Traditionally, the highest prices were fixed in the capital. However, living in Tbilisi is not much more expensive than the Georgian average, at $625 per person.
Cost of housing in Georgia
Renting an apartment
At the end of March 2023, one-bedroom apartments in the central areas of cities will have to pay an average national price of $782 per month, outside the center – $549. And if you want more space, then a three-bedroom apartment in the center and outside will cost $1,312 and $877, respectively. At the same time, the most inexpensive housing in Georgia – a one-room apartment or a house on the outskirts – costs $310, the maximum cost for renting a three-room apartment in the center will have to be paid in the amount of $2,300 per month.
Buying a property
If you are not planning to rent, but to buy real estate in Georgia, the cost of one square meter on average in the country will cost you $1670 in the central regions and $982 in the suburbs. The fixed interest rate on mortgages for 10 years ranges from 8 to 11%.
Cost of utilities
For electricity, water, heating, and garbage collection in Georgia they pay about $75 for an apartment with an area of 85 m2. The mobile tariff of a local operator without discounts and plans costs an average of $0.08 per minute, and unlimited Internet at a speed of 60 Mbps costs from $14 to 31.
Cost of Food
The price of food in Georgia is considered low. According to livingcost.org, one person spends on average $324 a month on food, while a family of four spends $880.
- A trip to an inexpensive restaurant in Georgia for one person will cost from $6 to $18, about $10 on average in the country.
- A three-course dinner in a mid-range restaurant for two will cost $23-62.
- If you eat at McDonald’s and similar fast food establishments, you can count on about $7 for lunch.
The average cost of popular products in markets and supermarkets is shown in table below.
| Article | Price (dollars) |
|---|---|
| Cow’s milk (1 liter) | 2.0 $ |
| Bread (0.5 kg) | 0.7 $ |
| White rice (1 kg) | 2.2 $ |
| Chicken eggs (12 pcs) | 2.5 $ |
| Hard cheese (1 kg) | 8.4 $ |
| Chicken filet (1 kg) | 6.7 $ |
| Beef (1 kg) | 10 $ |
| Apples (1 kg) | 1.4 $ |
| Bananas (1 kg) | 1.8 $ |
| Oranges (1 kg) | 1.6 $ |
| Tomatoes (1 kg) | 1.8 $ |
| Onion (1 kg) | 0.8 $ |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.3 $ |
Drinks
| Article | Price (dollars) |
|---|---|
| Georgian beer (0.5 liter) | 1.5-3.0 $ |
| Imported beer (0.33 liter) | 2.3-4.3 $ |
| Bottle of middle-class wine (and yes, we are talking about the famous Georgian wine!) | 4-10 $ |
| Cappuccino | 1.2-5.0 $ |
| Coca-Cola/Pepsi (0.33 liter) | 0.6-1.4 $ |
| Water (0.33 liter) | 0.3-0.8 $ |
Public transport, fuel and automobiles
Public transport in Georgia is considered one of the most inexpensive items of expenditure. On average, transportation costs per person per month in Georgia are just over $47, and for a family of four – $133.
| Article | Price (dollars) |
|---|---|
| One-way trip by bus | 0.4 $ |
| Bus subscription (monthly) | 12-15.5 $ |
| Taxi services (per km) (additionally 1.5$ for car landing and about 4.6$/hour for waiting time) | 0.8 $ |
| Car gasoline (per liter) | 1.4 $ |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline Class | 19,417 $ |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort | 23,653 $ |
Clothing and footwear
All popular clothing brands are represented in Georgia. You can go to clothing markets to save money, as well as to fashion boutiques to purchase new collections. Let’s take popular fashionable clothes and shoes of the middle price range:
| Article | Price (dollars) |
|---|---|
| Jeans Levis 501 or similar brand | 100-155 $ |
| Summer dress from store Zara, H&M | 22-100 $ |
| Mid-range Nike sneakers | 58-155 $ |
| Men’s leather business shoes | 62-252 $ |
Cost of Schools
An equally important item of expenditure for a family living in Georgia is the education of children.
- There are cheaper options, for $136/month, and more expensive, for $311/month. It all depends on the region of residence and the services of the institution.
- Private preschool services for a full day will cost an average of $218/month.
- Elementary school services cost from $1,550 to $10,870 per year. The national average is $4225, which, of course, is a lot.
Cost of Sports and Recreation
As for sports and recreation:
- A subscription to a fitness club costs $52/month
- Going to the cinema in Georgia will cost on average $6-6.5/person
- You can rent a court for $14.5/hour.
Bonus – Detailed expenses in Tbilisi
Here are two detailed lists of the living cost in Tbilisi for a family of four people, and for one single person:
Monthly cost for a family of four people in Tbilisi:
| Expense | Price (dollars) |
|---|---|
| Rent in the city center for a family of four | 1,300 $ |
| Utilities (Electricity, Water, Gas, Trash) | 75 $ |
| Internet/Cell Phone/Cable TV Package | 30 $ |
| Private Health Insurance (per family) | 90 $ |
| Transportation (Car Maintenance or Public Transport) | 150 $ |
| Food, including restaurant meal and Groceries | 880 $ |
| Household Help (4-hours, 1 x week) | 90 $ |
| Miscellaneous expenses | 300 $ |
| Total | 2915 $ |
Monthly cost for a single person in Tbilisi:
| Expense | Price (dollars) |
|---|---|
| Rent (one-bedroom, furnished apartment) | 780 $ |
| Utilities (Electricity, Water, Gas, Trash) | 75 $ |
| Internet/Cell Phone/Cable TV Package | 15 $ |
| Private Health Insurance | 25 $ |
| Transportation (Car Maintenance or Public Transport) | 50 $ |
| Groceries | 325 $ |
| Household Help (4-hours, 1 x week) | 50 $ |
| Miscellaneous expenses | 150 $ |
| Total | 1470 $ |
Summing up
Georgia is one of the cheapest countries in Europe in terms of cost of living, which is why it attracts so many immigrants. In 2022, the Numbeo portal published a ranking of countries according to the cost of living index. Georgia ranked seventh from the bottom in the list of the most inexpensive countries, behind Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, India, Libya and Pakistan.
Affordable public transport, food, lack of compulsory health insurance, relatively low average bill for utility bills are the undoubted advantages of living in the country. In 2022, this rosy picture was overshadowed by a sharp jump in rental prices, but with the start of the outflow of immigrants in 2023, prices began to bounce back.
