Moving to
Georgia
Moving to Georgia: one person needs about $1,050/month in Tbilisi (a family about $2,400), the top personal income-tax rate is 20% — roughly $46,800 take-home on a $60,000 salary — and there is no dedicated digital-nomad visa. Permanent residency takes about 10 years, and citizenship about 10.
Georgia's killer feature is simplicity — over 90 nationalities get a full 365 days visa-free on arrival with no application, and it's genuinely cheap with fast internet and legendary food and wine. Tbilisi is a characterful, chaotic, mountain-ringed capital that became a major nomad hub, accelerated by the 2022 influx. The downsides: it's outside the EU, the lari swings, and the neighborhood (Russia) makes some people uneasy.
Last updated August 2026 · How we calculate this
Georgia by the numbers
Relative scores across cost, safety, healthcare, quality of life and connectivity (higher is better).
Why move to Georgia
- 365 days visa-free, no application
- Very cheap, fast internet
- Easy company setup, low taxes
The catch
- Not EU; lari currency swings
- Geopolitical risk near Russia
- Tbilisi air quality and traffic
Take-home pay
Net salary in Georgia on a $60k gross, after income tax and social security:
20% flat PIT for employees; 1% special regime for eligible small-business/freelancers.
Cost of living · Tbilisi
Average all-in monthly cost in USD — estimates for guidance.
Compare cities →Visa & residency
The dedicated Remotely from Georgia digital-nomad program is suspended; 365-day visa-free stays remain, but since March 2026 remote work requires a separate work permit.
The 1-year visa-free stay is the easy entry but doesn't renew back-to-back and isn't residency; durable paths are the new IT Specialist residence permit ($25k/yr income), a short-term (property/investment) permit, or work/business permits — so plan beyond the free year.
How can I move here? → Where can my passport go? →Economy & everyday life
GDP-per-capita PPP of about $29,400 is modest but stretches well, and inflation sits at 3.9% after spiking to 11.9% in 2022. Tbilisi stays genuinely cheap for rent, food, and services, so a foreign income buys a comfortable life while local wages remain low. Life expectancy is 74.7, the lowest in this group; public care is thin, so expats rely on inexpensive private clinics and buy local private insurance to cover them.
Healthcare
World Bank data, most recent available — shows how well the system is resourced, not what you'll personally pay.
Safety
US State Department advisory level, country-wide — general guidance, not neighbourhood-specific. Full advisory →
Education
World Bank data, most recent available — learning score reflects harmonised international test performance.
Connectivity
World Bank data, most recent available.
Getting a passport
Compare all countries →PR after 10yr on a temp permit (~6yr only via property investment); ordinary naturalisation 10yr; dual only by state-interest exception; Georgian language/history/law exam.
By residence — confirm with the official authority.
Best time to go
Full climate →Average daily temperature by month · 2023 (Open-Meteo).
Where expats live in Georgia
Cost of living by city
All cities →All-in monthly cost for one person — tap a city for the full breakdown. Figures are averages, for guidance.
Living in Georgia
Healthcare
Private clinics in Tbilisi are decent and very cheap (a consult runs $20-40), but complex care lags Western standards, so many nomads keep international insurance and fly out for anything serious.
Money & banking
The currency is the Georgian lari; opening a bank account (Bank of Georgia, TBC) used to be trivial but has tightened, especially for certain nationalities, so bring documents and expect some applicants to be declined.
Internet
Fast, cheap fiber in cities (Tbilisi and Batumi easily hit 100+ Mbps); a strong coworking scene and 24/7 café culture built for remote workers.
Etiquette & culture
Greetings, tipping and the taboos to dodge — fit in fast. Open the guide →
On arrival
Full essentials →Getting there
Flight distances →TBS (Tbilisi International) is the main hub, well-linked to the Gulf, Turkey, and Eastern Europe, though most Western routes connect via Istanbul.
Safe and very welcoming to newcomers.
Dial 112 for police, ambulance or fire.
Best for nomads who want the easiest possible entry, low costs, and low taxes.
Your move to Georgia — roadmap
Key terms
- Effective tax rate
- The share of your gross income actually lost to income tax and social contributions combined — almost always lower than the headline top tax bracket.
- Take-home pay
- What actually reaches your account after income tax and employee social contributions are taken off your gross salary.
- Tax residency
- The country entitled to tax your worldwide income — usually where you spend 183 days or more in a year, though the exact test varies by country.
- Permanent residency
- The right to live and work in a country indefinitely — the stage before citizenship, and those years usually count toward naturalization.
- Cost of living
- The all-in monthly spend for one person — rent, food, transport and bills — in the country's main relocation city.
Moving to Georgia — FAQ
Is there income tax in Georgia?
Yes. Georgia taxes income at a flat 20%. On a $60,000 salary the effective rate is about 22%, leaving roughly $46,800.
Can digital nomads get a visa for Georgia?
Georgia has no dedicated digital-nomad visa. The dedicated Remotely from Georgia digital-nomad program is suspended; 365-day visa-free stays remain, but since March 2026 remote work requires a separate work permit.
How do you get residency in Georgia?
The 1-year visa-free stay is the easy entry but doesn't renew back-to-back and isn't residency; durable paths are the new IT Specialist residence permit ($25k/yr income), a short-term (property/investment) permit, or work/business permits — so plan beyond the free year.
How much does it cost to live in Tbilisi?
A single person needs roughly $1,050/month in Tbilisi, and a family around $2,400/month, all-in.
Is tap water safe to drink in Georgia?
Yes — tap water in Georgia is generally safe to drink.