Tbilisi
Affordable essentials, grocery options, and setup tips.
You'll find Western groceries most easily at Carrefour in Tbilisi Mall or the Goodwill chain, where imported items are plentiful and prices are reasonable; Goodwill also offers cheaper fresh produce at its many locations. For the best local fruits and vegetables, head to the Deserter Bazaar near Didube metro, where the stalls are abundant and prices are lower than the supermarkets. Most newcomers are surprised to learn that tap water is safe to drink straight from the faucet-it meets drinking-water standards from the Caucasus mountains, so you can skip bottled water unless you prefer it. Dental care is another pleasant surprise: private clinics provide European-quality treatment at 20-30% of EU prices, with routine cleanings costing just 40-80GEL. As a first step, visit Carrefour or the Deserter Bazaar today to stock up on groceries and try the tap water at a nearby caf.
Ranked by contributor trust level and quality score.
Gldani · Experience date Apr 9, 2026
Carrefour in Tbilisi Mall has the best selection of imported and Western products. Goodwill supermarket is well-stocked and cheaper. For fresh produce, the Deserter Bazaar near Didube metro is excellent and very cheap.
Old Town · Experience date Nov 11, 2025
Tbilisi has a strong dental care reputation among expats. Private dental clinics offer European-quality treatment at 20–30% of EU prices. Routine checkup and cleaning: 40–80 GEL. Filling: 60–120 GEL. Root canal: 150–300 GEL. Dental implant: $400–700 (versus $1,500–3,000 in EU). Recommended clinics: Dental Palace (Vake), Dentamedic (Saburtalo). Book directly — no referral needed. English-speaking dentists available at clinics in Vake and Rustaveli areas. Medical tourism for dental work is a growing industry in Georgia — many EU expats schedule dental work during their Tbilisi stay.
Vake · Experience date Jan 21, 2026
Tbilisi has a continental climate. Spring (March–May): best time to visit — mild 15–22°C, green, flowers. Summer (June–August): hot and dry, 30–38°C in July–August, low humidity makes it bearable. Autumn (September–November): beautiful, golden light, 15–25°C, harvest season — excellent time for wine country visits. Winter (December–February): cold, 0–8°C, some snow (1–3 snowfalls per year), grey and damp. Buildings are often poorly heated — bring warm layers. Air conditioning: present in most modern apartments. Heating: gas central heating in most apartments — check it works before signing a winter lease.
Vake · Experience date Apr 20, 2026
Georgian cuisine is beloved by expats worldwide. Staples: khinkali (soup dumplings, 0.80–1.20 GEL each — eat 5–10), khachapuri (cheese-filled bread, Adjarian boat-style with egg and butter — $3–6), mtsvadi (Georgian barbecue), lobiani (bean bread), badrijani nigvzit (aubergine with walnut paste). Wine: Georgia is one of the world's oldest wine regions — natural Georgian wine bars (gvino ubani) throughout Tbilisi. Cheap restaurants: traditional Georgian restaurant meal for two with wine — 50–80 GEL ($18–30). Avoid tourist-priced restaurants on Shardeni Street — walk one block back for half the price.
Rustaveli · Experience date Jan 31, 2026
Tbilisi has become one of the world's most popular digital nomad destinations, especially since 2022. The combination of: visa-free access for most nationalities (365 days/year), extremely low cost of living, fast internet, no tax on foreign income, good food and wine, and a warm welcoming culture has made it a top nomad city. Co-working spaces: Impact Hub (Vera), Node Tbilisi (Vake), Workroom Tbilisi (Vake). Key nomad areas: Fabrika, Vake, Vera. Community: 'Digital Nomads Georgia' and 'Tbilisi Expats' on Facebook, multiple Telegram channels. The community is large enough (5,000+ active nomads) that you'll find people in your time zone and industry within days.
Vera · Experience date Dec 17, 2025
Main supermarkets: Carrefour (French chain, hypermarket in Saburtalo and city malls — best selection, most international products), Goodwill (Georgian chain, good fresh produce, multiple locations), Spar (convenience, central locations), Smart (budget, widespread, excellent for local Georgian products). For imported goods (Western cereals, specific European products): Carrefour in Vasco da Gama Mall or Galleria Mall. Local Georgian specialties: Dezerter Bazaar (main traditional market, Avlabari Metro area) — fresh vegetables, Georgian cheeses, churchkhela, wine by the jar. Weekly spend for one person cooking at home: 120–200 GEL ($45–75).
Vera · Experience date Mar 1, 2026
Gym memberships in Tbilisi are very affordable. Gold's Gym (several locations including Vake and Saburtalo): 80–100 GEL/month ($30–37). Smaller independent gyms: 40–70 GEL/month. Premium: Atrium Fitness (Rustaveli area) 150–200 GEL/month with pool. Most gyms require a monthly contract — no daily pass culture as in Western gyms (some exceptions). Outdoor fitness: Vake Park has a running track, outdoor gym equipment, and a popular morning running community. Turtle Lake (Saburtalo/Vake border): good uphill hiking/running. Georgian winters are cold but dry — outdoor exercise is year-round with appropriate clothing.
Rustaveli · Experience date Dec 19, 2025
Haircuts in Tbilisi are excellent value. Men's barbershop: 15–25 GEL ($5–9) — many Turkish-style barbers in central Tbilisi with hot towel shaves for 10–15 GEL extra. Women's salon: 30–80 GEL for cut and blow-dry, 60–150 GEL for colour. Hair salons in Vake and Vera serve a cosmopolitan clientele and staff often speak some English. Nail salons: 20–40 GEL for manicure. Standard is high — Georgian women take personal grooming seriously and the salon culture reflects this. Book via the salon's Instagram (most Tbilisi salons are active on Instagram — DM to make an appointment) or just walk in.
Saburtalo · Experience date Mar 4, 2026
Options for expat health coverage in Georgia: International health insurance (Allianz, Cigna, SafetyWing — $50–150/month) covers you at any hospital globally including Georgian private clinics. Georgian private insurance (Aldagi, GPI Holding — $20–50/month) covers Georgian private network hospitals only. Many expats in Georgia are uninsured and pay out-of-pocket — given low Georgian private clinic costs, this can be rational for young healthy individuals. For medical tourists and longer-term residents: Georgian insurance gives excellent value for money. Check coverage carefully — dental and mental health often excluded.
Chugureti · Experience date Feb 9, 2026
Staying connected from Tbilisi: Telegram (most widely used in Georgia — set up group chats), WhatsApp video (works freely — no VPN needed in Georgia unlike Turkey or UAE), Zoom and Google Meet (unrestricted). Time zone: Tbilisi is UTC+4, meaning 3 hours ahead of London, 4 ahead of Paris, and 7–10 hours ahead of US time zones. Late evening Tbilisi (9–11pm) aligns with US east coast morning — workable for calls. Georgian fibre internet (100–200 Mbps in most apartments) handles HD video calls without issue. International calling rates from Georgian SIMs: expensive — use apps for all international calls.