Just Landed in Georgia? Your First 7 Days

Mobile coverage and home internet are fast and inexpensive across Tbilisi and most towns, and setting up a line takes minutes. Prepaid SIMs need only a passport and work immediately, with strong 4G everywhere and expanding 5G in the cities. Coverage thins only in the high mountains.

Typical cost: Around 15-30 GEL/month for a generous prepaid data bundle; home fibre broadband from Magti or Silknet runs roughly 40-70 GEL/month and is quick to install.

The lari (GEL) is the only legal tender, though many rents and larger purchases are quoted in US dollars and settled at the day's rate. Georgia is very card-friendly in the cities but strongly cash-based in bazaars, minibuses, rural areas and older venues, so carry both. Contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay are widely accepted in Tbilisi.

Opening an account: TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia are the two dominant, foreigner-friendly banks; both let non-residents open multi-currency (GEL/USD/EUR) accounts with a passport, occasionally for a small fee or after a brief compliance check. Their English-language apps (including TBC's Space) and English-speaking staff make day-to-day banking straightforward, and cards are usually issued quickly.

Cash: Carry cash for taxis you flag on the street, bazaars such as Dezerter and Eliava, marshrutka minibuses and small neighbourhood shops. Cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay work fine in supermarkets, malls, chain pharmacies and most Tbilisi restaurants, so you rarely need large amounts of cash on hand.

Tipping: Tipping is not obligatory but appreciated; many restaurants already add a 10% service charge, so check the bill before adding more on top. Rounding up taxi fares or leaving small change is common but never expected, and there is no tipping culture in shops or cafes with counter service.

There is no mandatory address-registration step for foreigners on a visa-free stay, one of the reasons Georgia feels so low-hassle on arrival. You do not report to any office simply for living here, and you only interact with the authorities if you later choose to apply for a residence permit, obtain a Georgian ID, register as a tax resident, or set up a business or sole trader (individual entrepreneur) status. Keep your rental contract, as it serves as informal proof of address if any of those later steps ask for one.

Where: Public Service Hall (House of Justice) branches, or the Public Service Development Agency, for residency, a national ID, individual entrepreneur registration or a business, whenever you choose to pursue them.

Tbilisi has a cheap two-line metro, extensive buses and minibuses (marshrutkas), but ride-hailing apps are the default for newcomers because they remove haggling and the language barrier. A single fare is 1 GEL and buys 90 minutes across metro and buses when paid with a travel or bank card. A rechargeable Metromoney card, or the monthly pass, covers metro and buses seamlessly.

From the airport: Bolt or Yandex Go from Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) to the centre costs about 25-40 GEL and takes 20-30 minutes. The cheaper Bus 337 and the airport train run to the city for around 1 GEL but far less frequently, so check timetables; always avoid the unmetered taxi touts waiting at arrivals.

Furnished flats are widely advertised on MyHome.ge, SS.ge and the larger Facebook expat groups, and short, flexible leases are easy to arrange. Rents are often quoted in US dollars, especially in central Tbilisi and Batumi, and prices have risen with the arrival of many foreigners. Viewing in person and using a written contract are essential, as the market runs heavily on personal contacts.

Typical rent: A one-bedroom flat in central Tbilisi runs roughly 1,100-1,900 GEL (about USD 400-700) per month; outer districts, Batumi and Kutaisi are noticeably cheaper.

Deposit norm: One month's rent as a deposit plus the first month upfront is standard, sometimes with an agent's commission of around half a month. Insist on a written contract and, where possible, an agent or trusted local, since verbal-only deals leave you with little recourse if a dispute arises.

Georgia has a mix of state and private clinics; private hospitals in Tbilisi such as Aversi, Evex, MediClub Georgia and Ingorokva High Medical Technology Center offer good quality at low cost by Western standards. Pharmacies (Aversi, PSP, GPC) are on almost every corner, many open around the clock, and dispense a wide range of medicines without a prescription. English-speaking doctors are common in the larger private clinics.

How to access it: For non-emergencies, book directly at a private clinic and pay out of pocket or via private insurance; consultations are inexpensive, often 50-150 GEL. For emergencies call 112, which dispatches ambulances, though response times and vehicle standards vary, so private clinics are the reliable route for anything non-critical.

Insurance: The state healthcare programme covers Georgian citizens, so foreigners should buy private health insurance; local insurers such as GPI Holding, Aldagi and Ardi offer affordable annual plans, or you can keep comprehensive international cover from home. Sort this early, as care is cheap but not free, and hospital bills for a serious event still add up.

• Georgian hospitality is legendary; accept invitations to a supra (feast) and expect long, structured rounds of toasts led by a tamada (toastmaster).
• Never pour your own wine or refuse a toast outright at a supra; sip rather than skip if you need to pace yourself, and toast to the dead by lowering your glass or pouring a little on the ground.
• Dress modestly and cover shoulders and knees when entering Orthodox churches; women are usually expected to cover their hair with a scarf, and trousers on women may draw disapproval at some monasteries.
• Learn a few words of Georgian such as gamarjoba (hello), madloba (thank you) and gaumarjos (cheers); it is warmly received even though Russian and English get you far in the cities.
• Greet with a handshake, and let hosts lead: guests are treated with great generosity, and reciprocating warmth matters more than formality.
• Toasting has an order and etiquette, so follow the tamada's lead rather than starting your own toasts, and take your turn seriously when invited to speak.
• Bring a small gift, wine, sweets or flowers (in odd numbers, as even numbers are for funerals), if you are invited to someone's home.

• Politics is sensitive: avoid casually praising Russia, tread carefully around the war and Georgia's EU aspirations, and be aware that the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia are occupied territory you must not try to enter from Russia.
• Public displays of affection and LGBTQ+ visibility can draw hostility outside liberal Tbilisi circles; be discreet in conservative and rural areas, where attitudes are traditional.
• Georgian driving is aggressive and unpredictable and pavements are uneven; take extra care as a pedestrian, even on marked crossings, and do not assume cars will stop.
• Anti-government protests can erupt and swell quickly in central Tbilisi, particularly around Rustaveli Avenue; avoid crowds and check local news if tensions are high.
• The Georgian Orthodox Church is influential and religion is taken seriously; be respectful about faith, and mind conservative sensibilities in smaller towns.