How much does it cost to go backpacking in Georgia?

A detailed guide on how much it costs to go backpacking in Georgia. Includes a breakdown of the average cost of accommodation, food, transport, entertainment, and everything else you need to know to plan your trip to Georgia.

Here’s how much it costs to go backpacking in Georgia

Planning on visiting Georgia? You should! For such a small country, Georgia packs a lot of punch. And luckily, Georgia is incredibly affordable. Below you can find out exactly how much it costs to travel in Georgia.

Exchange rate at time of writing: €1  = 3.25 GEL and $1 = 2.90 GEL

Cost of accommodation in Georgia

Georgia offers all the accommodation types that you would expect. From cheapy hostels to luxurious 5-star resorts. Competition is high, especially in the budget segment, so there are lots of deals to be found. I often use a booking website to find the best deals for accommodation in Georgia.

Check out booking.com for accommodation deals in Georgia

Below you can find the average price for different types of accommodation in Georgia.

• Hostels: 7 – 20 GEL/$2.50 – 7/€2 – 6 per dorm bed
• Budget hotels: 20 – 40 GEL/$7 – 14/€6 – 12
• Mid-range hotels: 40 – 70 GEL/$14 – 25/€ 12 – 22
• Luxury hotels: 300+ GEL /$105+/€95+

The above is just an indication, especially in the mid-range category you can find many places that fall outside of this price range. However, you can find a decent mid-range option within this price range. Do note that prices can fluctuate heavily depending on the season. If you plan to travel in high-season, book ahead and expect inflated prices.

There are also plenty of Airbnb options in Georgia’s cities. These are especially useful if you want to stay for a longer period of time. Prices start at around €300/$330 for a month in Tbilisi. There are also several Facebook groups for long-term renting in Georgia, and if you ask around many locals can help you find a place.

For budget accommodation recommendations for the places I have visited in Georgia, scroll down to the bottom of the post.

Cost of food in Georgia

Georgia offers a varied and hearty palate of flavors, including lots of bread and cheese. Obviously it’s possible to go for a fine-dining experience, but there are plenty of cheap and cheerful eateries to find all throughout Georgia. Make sure to try the khinkali and the kachapuri.

• Cheap breakfast: 1 – 5 GEL/$0.35 – 1.50/€0.30 – 1.50
• Cheap lunch or dinner: 7 – 20 GEL/$2.50 – 7/€2 – 6
• Coffee or tea at a nice cafe: 7 – 15 GEL/$2.50 – 5/€2 – 4.50
• Fancy dinner in Tbilisi:  Mains starting at 40 GEL/$14/€13

Cost of drinks in Georgia

Georgia is home to delicious and cheap wine. You can get a glass of good Georgian wine starting at a couple of Lari. There’s also plenty of beer for the non-wine drinkers, and Georgia has some delicious lemonade for my teetotalling friends.

• Beer or soda: 2 – 5 GEL
• 1 L of water: 0.50 – 1.5 GEL/$0.15 – 0.50/€0.10 – 0.40
• Coffee or tea: 2 – 10 GEL/$0.70 – 3.50/€0.60 – 3
• Bottle of local wine: Starts at around 10 GEL/$3.50/€3

Cost of transport in Georgia

Prepare your bum for some bumpy rides, especially if you’re going into the mountains. Georgia is mostly serviced by minibusses, called Marshrutka. Most cities, towns, and villages can be reached by marshrutka.

Georgia also has a limited train network. Trains are reasonably priced but generally slower than going by road. Prices for trains can vary widely depending on the type of train and your destination. Check out the Georgia Railway website for more info on trains. You can also book trains directly from this website.

Tbilisi also has a metro system and cities such as Tbilisi and Batumi you can use the ride-hailing apps Taxify or Yandex.

• Tbilisi metro: 1 GEL/$0.35/€0.30
• Taxi in a city: Max 15 GEL/$5/€4.50
• Marshrutka between cities: 10-25 GEL/$3.45 – 8.60/ €3 – 8
• Innercity marshrutka: 0.30 – 1.5 GEL/$0.10 – 0.65/ €0.10 – 0.60

Cost of sightseeing in Georgia

Many of Georgia’s cultural sites are religious in nature and therefore free to enter. When you enter a religious site, make sure to dress appropriately.

• Museums: 3 – 8 GEL/$1 – 2.70/€0.90 – 2.50
• Churches, cathedrals, monasteries: free!

Akhaltsikhe at sunset. Don’t skip this one! The sights outside of the city were some of my favorites.

Cost of connectivity in Georgia

Getting connected in Georgia is cheap and simple.

The two major mobile operators are Magti and Beeline. Magti has the best coverage and is my preferred choice for mobile connectivity in Georgia.

To get a sim card, go to one of the operator run stores and buy a sim card there. They will set it up for you. A sim card costs around 5 GEL, and 15GB of data costa round 30 GEL.

Recommendation for Georgia

Below you can find a list of recommended places to visit in Georiga with recommendations for accommodation in those places.

Tbilisi

Tbilisi is a very affordable capital city, in part because getting around by public transport is cheap. There are also pastry shops everywhere, selling delicious breaded delights for a couple of GEL. Accommodation is reasonably priced but more expensive than in other parts of the country.

• I recommend MyHostel for budget travelers – Book MyHostel!
• I recommend Gallery Hostel Tbilisi for mid-range travelers – Book Gallery Hostel Tbilisi now!

Batumi

Batumi is a place of extremes. In the off-season, it’s possible to stay here for very little money, but prices skyrocket in the summer season.

I visited in the off-season, so expect prices to double if you come during the holidays. To keep within your budget, I recommend getting food from bakeries and getting drinks from the supermarket.

• I recommend Hotel Verona for both budget and mid-range travelers – Book Hotel Verona now!

Kutaisi

The best thing about Kutaisi is that the sights are free, and you can easily walk around the town. And because Kutaisi is a student town, there are plenty of cheap places to eat. Check out my Kutaisi travel guide for more info.

• I highly recommend Sun Guesthouse for both budget and mid-range travelers – Book Sun Guesthouse now!

Mestia

Mestia’s accommodation prices are a bit higher than in other parts of the country. Expect to pay more if you want to go skiing or go on a guided walk. Most accommodation includes food.

• I stayed at Villa Gabliani, which is okay for budget travelers – Book Villa Gabliani now!
• I recommend Svan House for mid-range travelers – Book Svan House now!

Zugdidi

Zugdidi doesn’t have much to do, but staying in Bagrationi Guesthouse is a reason alone to visit. If you stay here, food is included and your host can give you a ride to the train station.

• I highly recommend Bagrationi Guesthouse for its homestay experience – Book Bagrationi Guesthouse now!

Kazbegi

There are plenty of hikes in and around Kazbegi. Most of these are straightforward and can be done independently. But expect to pay more if you go on a guided tour. Most restaurants cater to mid-range budgets, but hostels and guest houses usually allow you to use their kitchen.

• I recommend The White House for budget travelers – Book The White House now!
• I recommend Uptown Boutique Kazbegi for mid-range travelers – Book Uptown Boutique Kazbegi now!

Telavi

Walking around Telavi is free and half the fun of visiting. The other half involves wine. Prices increase in high-season. Many guesthouses include food.

• I recommend Guesthouse Medea for budget travelers – Book Guesthouse Medea now!
• I recommend Neli & Zaal Guesthouse for mid-range travelers – Book Neli & Zaal Guesthouse now!

Signagi

Most sights in Signagi are free to visit, and there are several cheap eateries around town. Most homestays and guesthouses can arrange homecooked food for a decent price.

• I recommend Abramichi Guesthouse for budget travelers – Book Abramichi Guesthouse now!
• I recommend Guesthouse Honeymoon for mid-range travelers – Book Guesthouse Honeymoon now!

Akhaltsikhe

The city itself is nothing special, but the surrounding sights are definitely worth the visit. This is the base for visiting Vardzia and Sapara Monastries. You’ll have to bargain hard in high-season to get a good price for a taxi to get around.

• I recommend Mirage hotel for both budget and mid-range travelers – Book Mirage hotel now!

Budget tips for traveling in Georgia

Below you can find some of my tips to stay in a budget while traveling in Georgia. Let me know in the comments if you have any other tips.

• Eat pastries/fast food for dinner as well. I typically went out to (cheap) restaurants for dinner. Gotta have something that isn’t breaded every once in a while…
• Go camping. Weather permitting, Georgia offers ample opportunity for camping.
• Don’t drink so much coffee. I’m kind of addicted to caffeine.
• Cooking your own meals in hostels in the smaller towns, where there are fewer food options.
• Completely sacrifice your need for quality. Sometimes, there ware a marginally cheaper option for sleeping, with terrible reviews.

So there you have it, a complete guide to how much it cost to travel in Georgia. Let me know in the comments if you think something is missing.

Yay transparency! There are affiliate links in this post. If you buy something after clicking on one of the links, I get a small commission, at no extra expense to you.