How much does a trip to Georgia cost: a backpacker's budget for two weeks

Georgia is still cheap, but no longer dirt cheap. A hostel bed in Tbilisi costs about 25-40 lari per night, and lunch at a simple restaurant around 30 lari (as of 09/2026, Numbeo data for Tbilisi). The old "€20 a day for everything" estimates no longer work.

We recalculated a backpacker budget for two weeks at September 2026 prices. Inside: the lari exchange rate, accommodation by city, food, transport, entrance tickets, and mobile service, plus a daily table at the end and a 14-day total in lari and euros.

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Georgia budget: key numbers

💡 In short:

• Exchange rate: 1 euro = 3.01 lari at the official rate (as of 09/2026, National Bank of Georgia).
• Budget travel: about 75-115 lari per day, roughly €25-38.
• Mid-range budget: about 180-290 lari per day, roughly €60-96.
• Two weeks on a budget: about 1,050-1,610 lari, roughly €350-535 excluding flights.
• Tbilisi-Batumi train: from 36 lari (as of 09/2026, tickets on tre.ge).
• Prices and fares: 09/2026, verified on the Tbilisi Transport Company website and against National Bank of Georgia rates.

Lari to euro exchange rate in 2026

First, about the currency. On 16.09.2026 the National Bank of Georgia set the rate at 3.0097 lari per 1 euro (as of 09/2026, official NBG rate). For quick mental math, think of it this way: 3 lari is roughly 1 euro, and 10 lari is about €3.3.

Exchange offices in Tbilisi usually offer a slightly worse rate than the official one. Change money in the city, not at the airport. You can pay by card almost everywhere in cities, but in mountain villages and on marshrutkas you need cash in lari.

Old guidebooks used a different exchange rate and pre-2022 prices. So recalculate any amounts from blog posts from past years and build in a buffer.

Daily budget: budget and mid-range

Below is our per-person daily estimate. It is based on the prices in the sections of this article: accommodation and food according to The Georgian Guide and Caucasus Unlock, transport according to TTC fares, converted to euros at the NBG exchange rate (as of 09/2026).

Flights are not included in these amounts. A SIM card adds a one-time cost of about 30 GEL, more on that below.

The budget option works if you sleep in dorms, have breakfast at a bakery, and travel by marshrutka. The mid-range option gives you a private room, dinner at a restaurant, and taxis around the city. In summer in Batumi and in the mountains, the upper end is more likely than the lower end.

In practice this means: budget around 500 € for two weeks in budget mode, and around 840-1,350 € if you want comfort. This is more realistic than the old 300 € figure.

Accommodation: hostels and guesthouses by city

Accommodation remains the biggest expense. A bed in a Tbilisi hostel dorm costs roughly 25-40 GEL per night, and a private room in a guesthouse costs roughly 70-120 GEL (as of 09/2026, hostel prices on Caucasus Unlock, The Georgian Guide price overview). In hostels in the Old Town and the Vera district, prices are closer to the upper end.

© Alf Altendorf · CC BY-SAPhoto: Alf Altendorf, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

In Kutaisi and smaller towns you will find cheaper accommodation than in the capital. Batumi gets the most expensive in summer: in July and August, book several weeks ahead. Mestia and Stepantsminda also fill up quickly in high season.

In the mountains, a guesthouse with half board is the better deal. In Kazbegi a night with dinner and breakfast costs about 50-80 GEL per person (as of 09/2026, Kazbegi guesthouses on Caucasus Unlock). That covers both your accommodation and part of your food budget at once.

For two or three people, a room in a guesthouse often costs less per person than a bunk in a hostel. If you want to cook for yourself, look for a place with a shared kitchen. You can compare available options by dates in advance: see accommodation prices in Georgia on Trip.com.

Food: bakeries, khinkali, and supermarkets

Food in Georgia has gone up in price the most noticeably. Khachapuri costs around 8-15 GEL, five khinkali around 5-8 GEL, and a full meal at a local restaurant 20-35 GEL (as of 09/2026, food prices in The Georgian Guide). On Tbilisi's tourist streets, the same dish costs noticeably more than in a neighboring side street.

© Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BYPhoto: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

Canteens are the cheapest option. A plate with soup and a hot main at a canteen costs around 8-15 GEL (as of 09/2026, canteen prices in Caucasus Unlock). According to Numbeo, lunch at an inexpensive restaurant in Tbilisi runs about 30 GEL, and a cappuccino at a cafe about 9 GEL (as of 09/2026, Numbeo prices).

Supermarket prices are lower. A loaf of white bread costs about 2 GEL, a 1.5 L bottle of water about 2 GEL, and a mid-range bottle of wine about 20 GEL (as of 09/2026, supermarket prices on Numbeo). At a restaurant, that amount will only get you a couple of glasses.

At markets, vegetables, fruit, herbs, and cheese are usually cheaper than at the supermarket. Cook dinner in the hostel kitchen a couple of times a week, and your food budget will drop noticeably.

Transport: metro, marshrutkas, trains, and Bolt

In Tbilisi, a single ride costs 1 GEL and gives you 90 minutes of travel on the metro, bus, and city minibus with transfers (as of 09/2026, TTC fares). A Metromoney card costs 2 GEL, a 1-day unlimited pass costs 3 GEL, and a weekly pass 20 GEL. You can also pay with a bank card.

© Draceane · CC BY-SAPhoto: Draceane, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

Between cities, marshrutkas are the cheapest option. The Tbilisi-Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) marshrutka costs about 10-15 GEL (as of 09/2026, marshrutkas on Caucasus Unlock, budget guide by Georgia Spirit). Longer routes to Svaneti cost more; check the price at the bus station.

The Tbilisi-Batumi train takes about 5 hours 12 minutes, tickets start at 36 GEL, and the bus on this route starts at 45 GEL (as of 09/2026, schedule and prices on tre.ge). In summer and on weekends, book train tickets several days in advance.

Bolt taxis in the city are convenient in the evening and when you have luggage. According to Bolt, the average fare in the "Airport" category in Georgia is about 30 GEL (as of 09/2026, Bolt). Trips around Tbilisi usually cost about 5-15 GEL (as of 09/2026, Tbilisi taxis on Caucasus Unlock).

Sights and entrance tickets

Entry to most churches is free. In Mtskheta, that includes Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Jvari Monastery; in Kazbegi, the Gergeti Trinity Church. Narikala Fortress in Tbilisi is also free to enter, and you only pay for the cable car.

Table data as of 09/2026. Uplistsikhe is open every day except Monday, from 10:00 to 17:00, and a guide there costs 45 GEL (as of 09/2026, Uplistsikhe hours on Georgian Holidays).

A day tour from Kutaisi to Okatse Canyon often includes only the road, and the 20 GEL canyon ticket you pay separately (as of 09/2026, Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia). Check what the tour includes before paying.

Most places you can see on your own by public transport. Tours make sense for places where marshrutkas run rarely, for example to Vardzia: Georgia tours on GetYourGuide.

Connectivity and other expenses

A Georgian SIM card is cheaper than roaming. Magti's tourist package at Tbilisi and Kutaisi airports costs 30 lari: 3 GB of internet, free local calls, and 30 minutes of international calls for 15 days (as of 09/2026, Magti tourist packages). For two weeks, that's enough for maps and messengers.

© David1010 · CC BY-SAPhoto: David1010, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

If you don't want to hunt for a kiosk after landing, set up an eSIM at home in advance. That way you have internet as soon as you step off the plane: compare eSIM plans for Georgia.

Laundry in hostels and guesthouses is usually offered for a small fee, and clothes are most often air-dried. Set aside a small buffer for laundry, water in the heat, and small purchases on the road.

How to cut costs in Georgia

Even in 2026, Georgia lets you travel on a tight budget. But the difference between the tourist approach and the local approach easily gives you double the savings.

© David1010 · CC BY-SAPhoto: David1010, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

• Eat at canteens and bakeries. A plate at a canteen costs several times less than dinner at a restaurant on a tourist street.
• Buy groceries at markets. Vegetables, fruit, and cheese are fresher there, and grains are sold by weight.
• Get an unlimited transit pass in Tbilisi. A weekly pass pays for itself after just a few rides a day.
• Take marshrutkas and trains. Only take taxis for long distances if you're splitting the fare.
• Choose a guesthouse with a kitchen or half board. In the mountains, dinner and breakfast are included in the nightly rate.
• Look for free walking tours. Tbilisi has free guided city tours.

How much flights to Georgia cost

Direct flights to Kutaisi are operated by the low-cost carrier Wizz Air. In spring and autumn, round-trip tickets are noticeably cheaper than in summer, and the final price depends on dates, departure city, and baggage, so check fares on the Wizz Air website. In the cheap season, there's a higher risk of unstable weather.

© Jelger Groeneveld · CC BYPhoto: Jelger Groeneveld, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia Commons

Baggage on a low-cost carrier is almost always paid separately, and the base fare includes only a small bag that fits under the seat. Flights with a layover, for example via Istanbul, are usually more expensive, but they arrive in Tbilisi.

It's convenient to compare prices in advance: check flight prices on Kiwi.com. Book 2-3 months ahead, as fares are usually lower then.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How much money should I bring for two weeks in Georgia?

In budget mode, plan on about 1,050-1,610 lari, roughly 350-535 € excluding flights. With a private room, restaurants, and taxis, it comes to about 840-1,350 €. The estimate is based on 09/2026 prices and the official National Bank exchange rate; in Batumi in summer, go with the upper end.

What is the lari to euro exchange rate in 2026?

As of 16.09.2026, the official rate is 3.0097 lari per 1 euro (as of 09/2026, National Bank of Georgia exchange rate). Exchange offices offer a slightly worse rate, and the airport is noticeably worse, so exchange money in the city.

Is food expensive in Georgia?

Cheaper than in Western Europe, but more expensive than old blogs claim. Lunch at an inexpensive restaurant in Tbilisi costs about 30 lari (as of 09/2026, Numbeo price overview). Canteens, bakeries, and markets keep your food budget within 35-50 lari per day.

How much does transport cost in Tbilisi and between cities?

The metro and bus in Tbilisi cost 1 lari for 90 minutes with transfers (as of 09/2026, Tbilisi transport fares). The train to Batumi costs from 36 lari, a marshrutka to Kazbegi is around 10-15 lari. Bolt around the city works out more expensive, but it is convenient late in the evening and with luggage.

Do you need a Georgian SIM card?

Yes, it is cheaper than roaming. The Magti tourist package for 15 days with 3 GB costs 30 lari (as of 09/2026, Magti tourist tariff). The card is sold at Tbilisi and Kutaisi airports. If you want internet right after landing, set up an eSIM in advance.

In short: what is worth booking

Georgia in 2026 remains affordable, but a realistic backpacker budget is now around 25-38 € per day, not 20 €. Most of the money goes on accommodation and food; transport and entrance tickets cost little.

• If you count every euro: sleep in hostels, eat in canteens, and get an unlimited transport pass in Tbilisi.
• If you value comfort: take a private room in a guesthouse and budget around 60-96 € per day.
• If you are heading to the mountains: choose a guesthouse with half board, it will also cover dinner.

Start with accommodation, it goes up in price first: compare guesthouse and hostel prices on Trip.com and book Batumi and the mountains in advance.