Cost of Living in Tbilisi

Getting around Tbilisi is cheap and increasingly convenient. The metro system has two lines covering most central neighborhoods, and a single ride costs just 1 GEL ($0.36) with a Metromoney transport card, which itself costs 2 GEL ($0.73) at any metro station kiosk. Buses run the same fare and cover routes the metro misses, including connections to the airport -- Bus #337 runs from Tbilisi International Airport to Freedom Square and Station Square for just 1 GEL. The Metromoney card works on both metro and buses, and you can top it up at any metro station or through the TTC mobile app. The system runs from 6:00 AM to midnight, with trains every 3-5 minutes during peak hours. For most digital nomads living and working in central Tbilisi, monthly transport costs stay well under $15-$20 using public transit alone.

Tbilisi offers solid internet infrastructure for remote work, with fiber-optic connections available in most central neighborhoods. Home broadband is provided primarily by two companies -- Magticom and Silknet -- which together hold about 78% of the market. Magticom's standard plans start at 40 GEL ($14.50) per month for 70 Mbps and go up to 80 GEL ($29) for 100 Mbps. Silknet offers similar tiers at comparable prices. Most furnished apartments marketed to expats come with internet already installed, typically in the 50-100 Mbps range, with the monthly cost often bundled into rent. Speeds are generally reliable in Vake, Vera, and Saburtalo, though older buildings in the Old Town or Sololaki can have weaker connections. For a backup, mobile data is dirt cheap: Magti offers unlimited monthly data for 16 GEL ($5.80), and Cellfie (formerly Beeline) runs promotions like 10 GB for 5 GEL ($1.80) through their app. SIM cards are available at shops across the city from all three providers -- Magticom, Silknet, and Cellfie -- with 5G now available on Cellfie and Silknet networks.

Healthcare in Tbilisi is functional and affordable, though the quality gap between public and private facilities is wide. Private clinics are where most expats and digital nomads go, and costs are a fraction of Western prices: a 15-minute consultation with a general practitioner at a private clinic runs $25-$35, while a specialist visit costs $35-$60. Well-regarded private facilities include MediClub Georgia, Aversi Clinic, Evex Medical, and the American Hospital. Dental care is particularly good value -- a cleaning costs $25-$55, fillings run $18-$45, and a dental implant costs $290-$1,100, making Tbilisi increasingly popular for dental tourism. Pharmacies (called "aptiaki") are found on virtually every block, and common medications are available over the counter at low prices: a course of antibiotics runs $3-$8, cold medicine costs about $7, and basic painkillers are under $2. Most pharmacies have staff who speak some English, especially in central neighborhoods.

The biggest trap for newcomers is assuming Tbilisi is still as cheap as it was in 2019 or 2020. The wave of relocations since 2022 pushed rents up 20-30%, and restaurants in popular neighborhoods have adjusted prices accordingly. Lock in a direct lease within your first month rather than staying on Airbnb indefinitely -- the savings compound quickly. Georgian bureaucracy, while light on immigration, can be opaque for other tasks: opening a bank account at Bank of Georgia or TBC Bank is straightforward with a passport, but activating the Revenue Service portal for the 1% tax regime may require a visit to a House of Justice with a Georgian-speaking helper. The language barrier is real outside tourist zones -- Georgian script (Mkhedruli) is unique and has no relation to Latin or Cyrillic alphabets, so basic phrases and Google Translate with the camera feature are essential for reading menus, signs, and product labels.