Georgia
How much does a trip to Georgia cost? Daily budget and prices
Budget travellers need about GEL 60–140 (US$22–52) a day in Georgia; mid-range GEL 175–380; comfort GEL 490+. Base in Tbilisi, eat at bakeries and canteens, and use marshrutkas to stay at the low end. Batumi in July–August and private driver days push costs up fast.
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GuideGeorgia
Key facts
- Currency
- Georgian lari (GEL, ₾); cards work in Tbilisi and Batumi, cash elsewhere
- Backpacker day
- GEL 60–140 (hostel, bakeries, marshrutkas)
- Mid-range day
- GEL 175–380 (guesthouse or boutique hotel, restaurants)
- Comfort day
- GEL 490–1,070 (top hotel, private driver)
- Khachapuri from a bakery
- GEL 3–8
- Khinkali, per piece
- GEL 1–2
- Glass of house wine
- GEL 8–20
- Tbilisi metro or bus ridecheck
- GEL 1
- Marshrutka Tbilisi – Kazbegicheck
- GEL 20–25
- Train Tbilisi – Batumi, 2nd classcheck
- GEL 35–60
- Private driver day (Kazbegi or Kakheti)check
- GEL 150–350, on top of transport
- Peak price spike
- Batumi in July–August; Tbilisi hotel prices up since 2022
What drives your daily number
Four lines decide your budget: bed, food, transport and sights. Georgia is cheap on food and short city hops, and expensive on anything with a private car and driver. A Tbilisi day on foot, eating khachapuri and khinkali, can cost less than a single driver day to Kazbegi.
Bed is the biggest swing. A hostel dorm in Tbilisi sits at the bottom of the range; a boutique hotel in the old town or a Batumi seafront room in August sits at the top. Guesthouses in Kakheti, Kazbegi and Svaneti are mid-priced and usually include a large breakfast, which cuts your food line.
Transport is cheap while you stay on marshrutkas and trains, and jumps the moment you hire a car. Sights are rarely the problem: most churches, monasteries and old towns are free or a few lari.
Daily budget by travel style
Figures are per person per day, sharing a room at mid-range and comfort. Flights, insurance and organised tours are not included. 2026 estimate.
| Style | Bed | Food | Transport | Sights | Extras | Total per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | GEL 25–50 | GEL 25–40 | GEL 5–20 | GEL 0–15 | GEL 5–15 | GEL 60–140 |
| Mid-range | GEL 60–130 | GEL 60–100 | GEL 20–60 | GEL 15–40 | GEL 20–50 | GEL 175–380 |
| Comfort | GEL 200–450 | GEL 120–220 | GEL 80–200 | GEL 40–80 | GEL 50–120 | GEL 490–1,070 |
A private driver day to Kazbegi or Kakheti (GEL 150–350) sits on top of the transport line.
Prices you will actually pay
These are the everyday items that set the tone of a trip. Bakery khachapuri and khinkali by the piece are the cheapest full meal in the country; a restaurant dinner with wine costs several times more but is still modest by Western European standards.
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Khachapuri from a bakery | GEL 3–8 | Cheapest filling meal |
| Khinkali, per piece | GEL 1–2 | Order 5–8 per person |
| Glass of house wine | GEL 8–20 | Cheaper by the bottle in Kakheti |
| Metro or bus ride, Tbilisi | GEL 1 | check |
| Marshrutka Tbilisi – Kazbegi | GEL 20–25 | check |
| Train Tbilisi – Batumi, 2nd class | GEL 35–60 | check |
| Private driver day | GEL 150–350 | check; split between passengers |
2026 estimate.
Where costs rise
Batumi in July and August is the clearest spike: seafront hotels charge peak rates and the same room costs far less in June or September. Tbilisi hotel and rent prices have risen since 2022, so old guidebook room rates are no longer useful.
Private drivers are the second spike. A day trip to Kazbegi or into Kakheti wineries is the single largest discretionary cost on most trips, and it does not replace your transport line, it adds to it. Splitting a car between three or four people brings the per-person cost back near train and marshrutka levels.
Winery dinners, guided tastings and mountain guesthouses with full board also push the daily figure up, especially in Svaneti and Kazbegi where choice is limited.
How to keep costs down
Eat where locals eat: bakeries, canteens and khinkali houses rather than old-town restaurants with English menus. Drink house wine by the glass or bottle rather than imported drinks. Use the Tbilisi metro and city buses for GEL 1 a ride, and marshrutkas between towns.
Travel in the shoulder months, May–June and September–October, when Batumi and Tbilisi rooms are cheaper and the weather still works. Book mountain guesthouses directly rather than through a tour, and share driver days with other travellers you meet in a hostel.
Carry cash. Cards work in Tbilisi and Batumi, but marshrutkas, markets, tips and village guesthouses often want lari, and airport exchange desks give poor rates.
Money practicalities
The currency is the Georgian lari (₾, GEL). Change money at banks or exchange offices in the city, not in the airport hall, where rates are worse. ATMs are common in Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi; bank fees vary, so check before you withdraw.
Keep a cash float for marshrutkas, markets, tips and villages. Tipping is not obligatory but is appreciated in restaurants and for drivers.
Questions people ask
How much money do you need per day in Georgia?
Backpackers spend about GEL 60–140 a day on a hostel, bakery food and marshrutkas. Mid-range travellers spend GEL 175–380 with a guesthouse or boutique hotel and restaurant meals. Comfort travel with a top hotel and private driver runs GEL 490–1,070. 2026 estimate.
Is Georgia expensive for tourists?
No. Food, wine and short city transport are cheap by US and Western European standards. Costs rise with Batumi peak-season rooms, private driver days and winery dinners, which are the main ways a Georgia trip gets expensive.
What do meals, hotels and transport cost in Georgia?
Bakery khachapuri is GEL 3–8 and khinkali GEL 1–2 each. A glass of house wine is GEL 8–20. Hostel beds start around GEL 25–50, mid-range rooms GEL 60–130. A Tbilisi metro ride is about GEL 1 and a Tbilisi–Batumi train GEL 35–60.
How much should I budget for a week in Georgia?
A mid-range week lands near GEL 1,200–2,700 per person, excluding flights. Add GEL 150–350 for each private driver day. Backpackers can do a week for roughly GEL 400–1,000. 2026 estimate.
Do I need cash in Georgia?
Yes, for marshrutkas, markets, tips and village guesthouses. Cards work in Tbilisi and Batumi hotels, restaurants and supermarkets. Change money at city banks or exchange offices rather than the airport hall.
When is Georgia cheapest to visit?
May–June and September–October give lower room rates than the July–August Batumi peak, with good weather. Winter is cheapest outside ski areas such as Gudauri, though some mountain guesthouses close.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialGeorgian National Tourism Administration
- officialNational Bank of Georgia – exchange rates
- officialGeorgian Railways
- officialTbilisi Transport Company
- secondaryWikivoyage – Georgia