By Max Letek, Lost Land Travels · Updated 30 September 2026
Most UK passport holders can land in Tbilisi and stay for a full year without a visa. Pair that with fibre-fast coworking spaces, a 1% tax regime for registered freelancers, and a good life on roughly £800–£1,600 a month, and it's easy to see why Georgia's capital has become one of the most talked-about bases for digital nomads in Tbilisi and remote workers outside the EU.
I first got to know Tbilisi in January, when the hills above the Mtkvari were dusted with snow and the sulphur baths in Abanotubani were the warmest place in town. Winter is a good test for a nomad base: no beach, no summer crowds, just the city as locals live it. Tbilisi passed easily. Wi-Fi in the cafés was reliable, the wine bars in Sololaki were full on a Tuesday, and a plate of khinkali still cost less than a London coffee.
This guide covers what you need to know before you commit to a month (or twelve): the visa and new insurance rules, how tax works, where to work, which neighbourhood to rent in, and what it all costs in 2026. Prices are quoted in Georgian lari (GEL, ₾) with approximate sterling conversions at £1 ≈ 3.45 GEL (September 2026).
In this guide
Visas: a year visa-free, but bring insurance
British, Irish, EU, US, Canadian and Australian passport holders can stay in Georgia visa-free for up to 365 days per entry. Around 95 nationalities get this deal; a handful receive shorter stays, so check the Georgian e-visa portal if your passport isn't on the usual lists (Georgia Guidebook).
There's no formal digital nomad visa any more. The pandemic-era "Remotely from Georgia" scheme has long closed, and with a year of visa-free time on offer, most nomads don't need it.
New for 2026: mandatory health insurance
Since 1 January 2026, every foreign visitor must hold health and accident insurance valid for the whole stay. Border officers can ask to see it on arrival and may refuse entry without it (Georgia Today). Your policy must cover at least:
5,000 GEL (about £1,450) for emergency outpatient care
30,000 GEL (about £8,700) for hospital treatment
Most UK travel and nomad policies clear these limits comfortably. What catches people out is the duration: a standard single-trip policy often caps trips at 31 or 90 days. If you plan to stay six months, buy a long-stay or nomad policy that covers the full period, and keep an English-language copy on your phone.
Staying longer than a year
The old trick of hopping to Armenia or Turkey and re-entering for another 365 days technically still works, but border officers have discretion and rules shift. If Tbilisi becomes home, look at a proper residence permit instead, for example through registered employment, a business, or property ownership.
Passport and entry checklist
Passport valid for your whole stay (a few months' buffer is sensible)
Proof of insurance meeting the limits above
Onward or return ticket (rarely checked, but worth having)
Accommodation address for your first nights
Tax and banking: the 1% regime explained
Georgia's headline attraction for freelancers is Small Business Status: register as an Individual Entrepreneur (IE) and pay 1% tax on turnover up to 500,000 GEL a year (about £145,000), rising to 3% above that (Andersen Georgia).
The fine print matters:
Not every job qualifies. Legal, audit and tax consulting, medical and architectural work are excluded, as are staffing and licensed activities.
It applies to Georgian-source income. Work you physically do in Georgia can count, but how that sits alongside your home country's rules is where people get into trouble.
You file monthly through the Revenue Service portal, and VAT (18%) kicks in once turnover passes 100,000 GEL in any 12 months.
Tax residency starts at 183 days in Georgia within a 12-month period.
For Brits, the bigger question is usually the UK's Statutory Residence Test. Leaving the UK for a few months doesn't automatically end your UK tax liability, and a 1% Georgian bill doesn't replace it. If you're considering an IE, speak to an adviser who knows both systems before you register. This section is a starting point, not tax advice.
Banking
Opening a local account is famously quick. Bank of Georgia and TBC Bank both open accounts for foreigners with a passport, often in a single visit, and IE registration at a Public Service Hall takes about a day. For day-to-day spending, Wise or Revolut cards work almost everywhere, and contactless is the norm even in small shops and marshrutkas.
Coworking in Tbilisi: where to work
Expect to pay 30–50 GEL (£9–£15) for a day pass and 300–700 GEL (£85–£205) a month for a hot desk. Speeds of 100 Mbps or more are standard in the dedicated spaces.
Coworking spaces in Tbilisi: prices 2026
Space | Neighbourhood | Day pass | Monthly | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Impact Hub Tbilisi | Vake | ~50 GEL | 500–700 GEL | Networking, events, the fastest Wi-Fi |
D Block | Vera / Vake | 40 GEL | On request | Serious focus, great espresso, 24/7 access for members |
Collider | Vake | 40 GEL | On request | Plants, light and an in-house bar; free trial day |
Terminal (Khorava St) | Vera / Vake | 30 GEL | On request | Several branches and a terrace |
Fabrika Cowork | Chughureti | 30–35 GEL | 350–500 GEL | Social scene; hostel, bars and cafés in the courtyard |
Loft 37 | Vera | ~30 GEL | 320–400 GEL | Mid-priced, central and relaxed |
Smartex | Saburtalo | ~25 GEL | 280–350 GEL | Budget monthly desk near the metro |
Space Z | Saburtalo | 10 GEL | — | Self-service, board games and mini-golf |
Prices from Sakhva Travel and Red Fedora Diary, 2026. Monthly rates change often, so confirm directly before you book.
Free and café options
Mediatheka libraries (Vake and other districts) offer quiet desks for a 15–20 GEL membership.
The Presidential Library near the university is free, and the building itself is worth the trip.
Cafés in Vera and Sololaki are laptop-friendly, with good Wi-Fi and plug sockets. Buy something every couple of hours and avoid taking a table for four at lunch.
Max's tip: Fabrika is the easiest place to meet other nomads in your first week. Once you've found your people, a quieter desk in Vera or Vake is better for deep work.
Best neighbourhoods for digital nomads
Vera is the best all-round pick for a first stay; Saburtalo is the best value if you're staying three months or more.
Tbilisi neighbourhoods compared: vibe and one-bedroom rent
Neighbourhood | Vibe | 1-bed rent (monthly) | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
Vera | Leafy, walkable, café-lined streets | 1,800–2,800 GEL (£520–£810) | First-timers who want everything on foot |
Vake | Quiet, affluent, near Vake Park | 2,000–3,200 GEL (£580–£930) | Families, runners, calm evenings |
Sololaki | Old mansions, wine bars, character | 1,700–2,600 GEL (£490–£750) | Atmosphere and nightlife |
Chughureti (Fabrika / Marjanishvili) | Creative, young, social | 1,400–2,200 GEL (£405–£640) | Meeting people fast |
Saburtalo | Residential, modern blocks, metro | 1,100–1,600 GEL (£320–£465) | Long stays on a budget |
Rent ranges are furnished one-bedroom flats, drawn from EasyGeorgian and Expat Den. Rents in the popular central areas have risen roughly 20–30% since 2023.
The Old Town around Meidan and Shardeni Street is lovely to visit but noisy and tourist-priced for a long stay. Whichever area you choose, ask two questions before signing: how is the flat heated (central gas heating beats electric panels in January), and are utilities included?
Most nomads book the first two to four weeks on Airbnb or Booking.com, then find a monthly let through local Facebook groups or agents once on the ground. Monthly deals are usually 30–40% cheaper than short-stay rates.
Cost of living in Tbilisi (2026)
A single nomad can live well in Tbilisi on about £780 a month on a budget or around £1,630 in real comfort, including rent, coworking and insurance.
Monthly cost of living in Tbilisi for a digital nomad, 2026
Monthly cost | Budget (GEL) | Comfortable (GEL) | Budget (£) | Comfortable (£) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Rent, 1-bed (Saburtalo vs Vera) | 1,200 | 2,200 | 350 | 640 |
Utilities and home internet | 150 | 200 | 45 | 60 |
Coworking (library/cafés vs hot desk) | 50 | 500 | 15 | 145 |
Groceries | 550 | 800 | 160 | 230 |
Eating and drinking out | 350 | 900 | 100 | 260 |
Transport (metro pass vs Bolt) | 60 | 150 | 15 | 45 |
Mobile SIM | 25 | 45 | 7 | 13 |
Health insurance | 100 | 170 | 30 | 50 |
Gym | 0 | 150 | 0 | 45 |
Leisure and weekend trips | 200 | 500 | 60 | 145 |
Total | 2,685 | 5,615 | ≈780 | ≈1,630 |
Sterling at £1 ≈ 3.45 GEL, rounded. Sources: EasyGeorgian, Expat Den, Sakhva Travel.
Everyday prices
Everyday prices in Tbilisi, 2026
Item | Price |
|---|---|
Metro or bus ride (free transfers for 90 min) | 1 GEL (30p) |
Unlimited monthly transport pass | 40 GEL (£12) |
Bolt ride across town | 8–15 GEL (£2.30–£4.35) |
Espresso in a local café | ~5 GEL (£1.45) |
Specialty flat white | 12–18 GEL (£3.50–£5.20) |
Khachapuri at a casual bakery or café | 8–16 GEL (£2.30–£4.60) |
Main course, Georgian restaurant | 25–30 GEL (£7.25–£8.70) |
Local beer, bar pint | 6–9 GEL (£1.75–£2.60) |
Dinner for two with wine | 80–160 GEL (£23–£46) |
Winter warning: heating bills in a poorly insulated flat can double your utilities between December and February. When I visited in January, the difference between a cosy flat and a draughty one was the difference between enjoying the city and hiding in cafés.
Internet, SIM cards and getting around
Internet
Home fibre costs 30–70 GEL (£9–£20) a month, and 100 Mbps connections are common in newer buildings. Ask your landlord for a speed test screenshot before you sign, and keep mobile data as a backup for important calls; short power and internet cuts still happen in older blocks.
SIM cards
Pick up a Magti SIM at Tbilisi Airport arrivals (open 24/7, passport required). A tourist bundle costs around 20 GEL (£6) for 15 GB over 30 days, and Magti has the best coverage if you head into the mountains. Silknet and Cellfie are cheaper alternatives in the city. An eSIM is handy for your first day, but a local SIM is far cheaper for a longer stay.
Getting around
Metro and buses cost 1 GEL a ride with a contactless bank card or Metromoney card.
Bolt is the go-to ride app and much safer than hailing a street taxi.
Walking is the best way to see Vera, Sololaki and the Old Town, but bring decent shoes: Tbilisi is built on hills.
Marshrutkas (minibuses) from Didube and Samgori run to Kazbegi, Kakheti and beyond for 15–25 GEL.
Getting there from the UK
Wizz Air flies from London Luton to Kutaisi, about three hours west of Tbilisi by shuttle bus or train, and is usually the cheapest option. Direct London–Tbilisi flights have run seasonally in recent years, so check Skyscanner for current schedules. Otherwise, connections via Istanbul, Warsaw or Dubai reach Tbilisi in around seven to eight hours.
Practical tips and safety
Safety: Tbilisi is one of the safer capitals in the region for petty crime. Stay away from political demonstrations, which have been frequent around Rustaveli Avenue, and check the FCDO Georgia advice before you travel.
Time zone: GMT+4, three hours ahead of the UK in summer and four in winter. That makes UK mornings your early afternoons.
Language: Georgian is the main language and Russian is widely understood among older people. English is common in cafés, coworking spaces and among younger locals. Learning gamarjoba (hello) and madloba (thank you) goes a long way.
Best time to go: May–June and September–October bring warm days without July's 35°C heat. Winter is cold but atmospheric, and flats are cheaper.
Community: Join the "Digital Nomads Georgia" and Tbilisi expat groups on Facebook for flat listings, meet-ups and weekend trip partners.
FAQ
Do UK citizens need a visa for Georgia?
No. UK passport holders can stay visa-free for up to 365 days. Since January 2026 you must also carry health insurance covering your whole stay.
Does Georgia have a digital nomad visa?
Not currently. The one-year visa-free stay covers most remote workers' needs.
How much does it cost to live in Tbilisi per month?
About £780 on a tight budget and around £1,630 for a comfortable life, including rent and coworking.
Is the internet good enough for remote work?
Yes. Coworking spaces offer 100–300 Mbps, and home fibre is widely available for £9–£20 a month.
Can I really pay 1% tax in Georgia?
If you register as an Individual Entrepreneur with Small Business Status and your work qualifies, yes, on Georgian-source turnover up to 500,000 GEL. Check your UK tax position with an adviser first.
Is Tbilisi right for you?
If you want a long, visa-free stay somewhere affordable, characterful and a short flight from Europe, Tbilisi is hard to beat. It isn't polished like Lisbon or as cheap as it was in 2019, but it offers something rarer: a city with its own rhythm, where you can finish a client call and be in a candlelit wine cellar or on a mountain road to Kazbegi the same afternoon.
Start with a month in Vera, spend a week working from Fabrika, and you'll know soon enough whether one year is going to be enough.
Planning your trip? Compare flights to Tbilisi and Kutaisi on Skyscanner and find monthly stays on Booking.com.