Tbilisi
Tbilisi has become one of the world's most talked-about hubs for location-independent workers, built on a combination few cities match: visa-free entry of up to 365 days for citizens of roughly 95 countries (including the US, UK, EU, Canada, and Australia), a same-day individual entrepreneur regime taxing turnover up to GEL 500,000/year at a flat 1%, and one of the lowest costs of living among genuinely walkable capitals. For nationalities already covered by the 365-day allowance, the Remotely from Georgia programme — $2,000/month in foreign income, filed online with no fee — adds little beyond residence-permit status, useful mainly for a bank account or lease. It's genuinely valuable outside the visa-free list, across South and Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. None of Georgia's popular programmes lead directly to permanent residency; naturalisation needs ten years and language proficiency, and most remote workers aren't pursuing it — tax simplicity, not citizenship, is the core draw. Foreigners can buy apartments freely (agricultural land over five hectares is restricted), with Vake and Saburtalo commanding the highest prices. The city has a functional Soviet-era metro but no tram. Uber does not operate here — Bolt and Yandex Go dominate — and Tbilisi has absorbed a wave of Russian and Belarusian arrivals since 2022, reshaping its rental and café scene.
Neighbourhoods
Vake
Tbilisi's most affluent and leafy district, home to embassies, upscale restaurants, and the base of Turtle Lake park. The default landing spot for wealthier expats and diplomatic staff; consistently commands the city's highest rents.
Rent 1BR: 600-1050
Saburtalo
A large, modern district built around universities and mid-rise apartment towers, popular with young professionals, students, and the remote-work crowd for its mix of affordability and good transit access via the metro.
Rent 1BR: 450-780
Old Tbilisi
The historic core of cobbled streets, sulfur bathhouses, and colourful balconied houses climbing the hillside beneath Narikala Fortress. Dense with short-lets, cafés, and tourist-facing businesses; atmospheric but can be noisy in peak season.
Rent 1BR: 480-890
Vera
A quieter, centrally located district between Old Tbilisi and Vake, popular with longer-term expats who want walkable access to the centre without Old Town's tourist density. Good café culture and a strong sense of neighbourhood.
Rent 1BR: 450-740
Mtatsminda
A steep, historic hillside district served by the Tbilisi Funicular, with sweeping city views and a mix of grand older buildings and newer infill. Scenic but hilly, with fewer daily-life amenities than the flatter central districts.
Rent 1BR: 410-700
Chugureti / Marjanishvili
An up-and-coming central district around Marjanishvili Square, mixing older Tbilisi architecture with a fast-growing cluster of bars, coworking spaces, and independent restaurants. Among the most cost-effective genuinely central options.
Rent 1BR: 370-630
Real estate snapshot
- buy per sqm gel
- 2430-7560
- buy per sqm usd
- 900-2800
- rent 1br centre gel
- 1350-2160
- rent 1br centre usd
- 500-800
- rent 1br outside gel
- 945-1485
- rent 1br outside usd
- 350-550
- notes
- Foreigners may purchase apartments in Georgia freely, with no residency requirement. Agricultural land over five hectares requires Georgian citizenship or company-based ownership. Vake and Saburtalo command the highest prices in the city; Old Tbilisi carries a tourism-driven short-let premium. Transfer tax is roughly 1%, with notary fees around 0.5%. Capital gains are taxed at a flat 5% for Georgian tax residents and 20% for non-residents. Georgia's territorial tax system and 1% individual-entrepreneur regime are a major driver of demand from remote-work founders rather than pure real-estate investors.
Transport
- • Metro / subway
- Tbilisi Metro runs two lines dating from the Soviet era — functional and cheap, though ageing and with limited coverage of the newer suburbs. The city's tram network was decommissioned decades ago and has not been replaced. Uber does not currently operate in Tbilisi; Bolt and Yandex Go (Yango) dominate ride-hailing and are both inexpensive and widely used. Tbilisi International Airport is roughly 20-30 minutes from the centre by road.
Expat community
Tbilisi's foreign-resident population is dominated by remote workers, freelancers, and small-business founders drawn by the 1% individual-entrepreneur tax regime and Georgia's exceptionally generous visa-free access for most Western and many Asian nationalities. A substantial wave of Russian and Belarusian arrivals settled in the city from 2022 onward, visibly reshaping its rental market, café scene, and coworking infrastructure. English proficiency is decent among younger professionals and in expat-facing businesses but inconsistent citywide; Georgian and Russian remain widely used in daily life. International schooling includes the International School of Georgia (Cambridge and IB curricula) and Tbilisi International School (IB), both based in the capital.
Visa pathways
Related on The Citizenship Desk
Sources & last verified
- Last verified