Tbilisi is the capital and largest city of Georgia, a 1,500-year-old city strung along the Mtkvari River between steep hills in the South Caucasus. Its crooked Old Town of carved wooden balconies, sulfur bathhouses, Orthodox churches and hillside fortress sits beside Art Nouveau boulevards, Soviet-era landmarks and a fast-growing café, wine-bar and club scene. Visitors come for Georgian food and natural wine, easy day trips to monasteries and mountains, and some of the lowest prices of any European capital.
Local currency: Georgian lari (GEL, symbol ₾).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Tbilisi.
- Mid-range
- 290-520 GEL / approx $111-198 per day
- Luxury
- 910+ GEL / approx $347+ per day
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- 25-40 GEL / approx $9.50-15.30
- Budget
- 60-160 GEL / approx $23-61
- Midrange
- 180-350 GEL / approx $69-134
- Luxury
- 450-1,100 GEL / approx $172-420
Food
- Street
- 3-8 GEL / approx $1.15-3.05
- Local
- 15-30 GEL / approx $5.70-11.50
- Midrange
- 45-90 GEL / approx $17-34
- Fine
- 150-300 GEL / approx $57-115
Transport
- Bus
- 1 GEL / approx $0.38
- Taxi
- 6-15 GEL / approx $2.30-5.70
- Airport
- 1-30 GEL / approx $0.38-11.50
- Daytrip
- 15-30 GEL / approx $5.70-11.50
Activities
- Museum
- 5-15 GEL / approx $1.90-5.70
- Sites
- 0-10 GEL / approx $0-3.80
- Tour
- 60-150 GEL / approx $23-57
- Excursion
- 120-300 GEL / approx $46-115
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Tbilisi costs end-to-end.
Weekend escape
A short city break covering essentials and a few highlights.
One-week tour
Comfortable pace including major attractions and day trips.
Two-week explorer
In-depth exploration covering multiple regions.
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Travel in shoulder season — fewer crowds and significantly lower accommodation rates.
Use public transport instead of taxis where possible. Day passes often pay for themselves after 3 trips.
Eat where locals eat — markets and neighbourhood eateries offer better food at a fraction of tourist-strip prices.
Book accommodation with kitchen access for longer stays so you can self-cater some meals.