Prior to now couple of years, Tbilisi has change into one of many hottest digital nomad locations in Europe. However what’s it actually like residing in Tbilisi? I’ve been based mostly within the metropolis since 2020 and on this complete information, I’ll share my first-hand data with you.
The Republic of Georgia is a small nation within the Transcaucasus area on the junction of Europe and Asia. Sandwiched between Russia to the north, Turkey to the west, and Armenia and Azerbaijan to the south, it has each excessive mountain ranges and a protracted stretch of Black Sea shoreline.
Georgia is lauded for its pristine mountain climbing and historical wine-making traditions. The nation’s capital, Tbilisi, is a various and vibrant metropolis that wins hearts with its eclectic structure and its unimaginable Georgian meals and restaurant scene.
Since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and present process numerous reforms caused by the Rose Revolution of 2003, Georgia’s tourism star has been rising at a seemingly unstoppable tempo.
Although much less established as a digital nomad vacation spot in comparison with different cities in Europe, Tbilisi’s recognition is constructing. In 2020, the introduction of the ‘Remotely From Georgia’ allow solely added to its attraction.
The delicate local weather, beneficiant visa coverage and inexpensive price of residing are all good causes to maneuver to Tbilisi. Nevertheless it’s the extremely wealthy tradition, fascinating historical past, and legendary hospitality that satisfied me to relocate to Georgia originally of 2020.
Be taught extra about residing in Tbilisi, Georgia as a digital nomad on this detailed information. And, in case you’re planning on visiting different cities within the area, take a look at our information to residing in Yerevan as a digital nomad.
Dwelling in Tbilisi
Tbilisi is a comparatively small metropolis of simply over a million individuals. It runs alongside a valley, with excessive hills on two sides and the emerald-tinted Kura river coursing by the middle.
The center of Tbilisi is the charming Outdated City, which encompasses the hilltop Narikala Fortress (a 4th-century stone fortress); Betlemi Quarter; the Outdated Meidan (a former hub for Silk Highway merchants); Abanotubani (the sulfur bathtub district); Avlabari; Chugureti (previously a German settlement); and extra.
Satellite tv for pc suburbs made up of enormous Soviet-style house blocks stretch out to the north.
The most effective issues about Tbilisi is the way in which the standard and the up to date coexist aspect by aspect. One second you may be within the yard of an Orthodox church listening to polyphonic-style chanting, the subsequent sipping a latte in a specialty espresso store.
Tbilisi’s location on the crossroads of east and west means it’s all the time been very multicultural.
There are options of the city panorama and sure customs that may really feel acquainted – however on the identical time, the particularities of Georgian tradition, language and faith imply that Tbilisi actually has no parallel.
In case you’ve been residing overseas for a very long time, you’ll in all probability discover that Tbilisi is a breath of contemporary air.
Tbilisi for Digital Nomads
Tbilisi is an rising digital nomad vacation spot. Proper now, it strikes an nearly excellent stability between comfort and journey.
It nonetheless has an off-the-beaten-track really feel, particularly to Western vacationers, but the infrastructure has come alongside in leaps and bounds, making it a very simple place to dwell.
The expat neighborhood is primarily made up of distant employees (reasonably than NGO workers or English lecturers). It’s not as tight-knit as in another locations, however that’s slowly altering as extra coworking areas and companies devoted to expats open up.
English is extensively spoken, particularly amongst youthful generations, which makes it simple to fulfill locals. You’ll discover your social community will immediately broaden in case you be taught a little bit of Georgian.
What’s the Visa State of affairs?
Georgia has an especially beneficiant visa-free coverage that enables greater than 95 nationalities to enter the nation with out a visa and keep for as much as one yr. Underneath this scheme, you may work or examine with out having to acquire any particular allow.
Vacationers can open a neighborhood checking account, register a enterprise, purchase a automobile and even put money into property with relative ease. And since it’s a visa exemption, there may be nothing to stop you from reactivating your visa-free interval by doing an old style border run.
One factor to remember is that you simply robotically change into a tax resident after 183 days in Georgia.
Many digital nomads who run their very own enterprise or freelance select to register as an Particular person Entrepreneur and benefit from the 1% tax charge.
Georgia is striving to change into a member of the EU so these laws could change sooner or later. However for now, Tbilisi stays one of the accessible cities for distant employees within the area.
Remotely From Georgia
In 2020, the Remotely From Georgia program was launched as a method for digital nomads to bypass journey restrictions and enter the nation.
To use, it’s essential to meet a month-to-month revenue threshold, maintain a medical health insurance coverage, and conform to endure a brief resort quarantine.
Georgia has since re-opened its borders to most nationalities, however the allow remains to be a workaround for anybody who doesn’t meet Georgia’s vacationer entry necessities (together with Australians like me).
I utilized for Remotely From Georgia to re-enter the nation in June – it was a really simple course of.
Climate in Tbilisi
Together with the visa coverage, one other factor that makes Tbilisi so interesting is the local weather.
Winters are delicate, with daytime temperatures hovering round 50ºF between December and February. Snow is uncommon however there could be a day or two of snowfall in March or April.
Summer time may be oppressively sizzling, as much as 104°F in July and August. The air high quality is kind of poor in Tbilisi throughout summer time as properly. Most locals go away town and head to the countryside or the mountains to flee the warmth.
Spring and fall are by far essentially the most nice occasions of yr in Tbilisi.
September and October are notably good, with temperatures of 68-80°F and scarce rainfall. Plenty of festivals and outside occasions happen throughout this era, together with Tbilisoba.
Actions & Issues to Do
There isn’t any scarcity of actions to maintain you occupied throughout your downtime, from soaking within the sulfur baths to brushing up in your Georgian historical past at one of many many museums and galleries, to cafe hopping within the stylish Vera district.
In case you get pleasure from images and people-watching, among the finest issues to do in Tbilisi is just to wander across the Outdated City.
Past town, Kakheti wine nation, the Higher Caucasus mountains and several other medieval cave monasteries are solely a day journey away.
In case you get pleasure from mountain climbing and also you need to meet different expats, Weekend Vacationers Georgia is a Fb neighborhood that organises common excursions from town.
Tbilisi’s location makes it the proper base for worldwide journey as properly.
All of Georgia’s land borders are open, which means you may simply journey to Armenia or Azerbaijan by practice or to Turkey or Russia by highway.
Numerous price range carriers service Tbilisi Airport, making it simple to succeed in the UAE, Germany, Greece, Jap Europe or Central Asia.
Is Tbilisi Protected?
General, Tbilisi is an especially protected metropolis with a really low crime charge. Burglaries and pickpocketing are uncommon, and foreigners are hardly a goal for violent crime.
Having stated that, you must train the identical warning and customary sense you’d in every other massive metropolis. Be aware of your belongings, particularly when utilizing the metro or bus. Keep away from mountain climbing alone or strolling in unlit areas late at night time.
Listed below are just a few frequent issues and suggestions for staying protected in Tbilisi.
Utilizing Taxis
As a result of metropolis taxis are unmetered, there may be all the time the potential for a driver to overcharge you (particularly if you don’t communicate the language). You possibly can keep away from this through the use of an app. Bolt is the preferred.
Highway Security
I’ve lived in Vietnam and Cambodia and I nonetheless discover the roads in Georgia a lot worse!
Aggressive drivers and a complete lack of highway guidelines mix to create chaos. Highway security must be your greatest concern and is one thing to remember each within the metropolis and when touring round.
Take additional care as a pedestrian, and in case you plan to lease a automobile, keep away from the cities. When transferring round Georgia, keep away from doing very lengthy journeys by marshrutka and by no means journey at night time.
GoTrip.ge is a terrific service for reserving personal transfers with skilled drivers.
Protests & Demonstrations
Georgians are extraordinarily passionate about social justice and political reform – thus protests usually are not unusual. In Tbilisi, organized demonstrations normally happen outdoors Parliament on Rustaveli Avenue.
Protests are peaceable for essentially the most half, however issues can flip violent. It’s greatest to keep away from these areas when demonstrations are deliberate – occasions are all the time introduced a day or two upfront.
Greatest Areas to Reside in Tbilisi
Since transferring to Tbilisi in 2020, I’ve been leaping between flats and have lived in nearly each district.
Most digital nomads select to dwell outdoors the Outdated City heart, which though atmospheric is kind of touristic.
The buildings on this space (charming as they’re) are sometimes not in the very best situation both and lack pure mild and air flow. If you wish to dwell within the hubbub, Sololaki – the world west of Freedom Sq. – is a good alternative.
Vera is a well-liked neighborhood that’s nonetheless fairly central however with a extra residential vibe. There are tons of cafes, boutiques, bakeries and wine bars on this space.
The streets run up the hillside so you may typically discover an house with a view. Vake, the world simply past Vera, has plenty of inexperienced house and is a well-liked alternative amongst households.
Chugureti on the jap financial institution of the river is my favorite neighborhood in Tbilisi. In addition to being residence to the well-known Fabrika inventive house, it’s identified for its ‘Italian courtyards’ (frequent areas shared between neighbors) and eating places.
Saburtalo is an alternate possibility north of the middle. Common amongst college students (a whole lot of college campuses are positioned right here), it’s a bit additional out however simple to get to utilizing the metro.
One draw back is that peak-hour site visitors is a matter. There are many Soviet-era house blocks in Saburtalo and no scarcity of enormous, breezy flats to lease.
Costs range from neighborhood to neighborhood, however you may count on to pay round $350-500 USD/month for an house within the heart of Tbilisi. In case you’re prepared to dwell a bit additional out, you could find a spot for considerably much less.
Discover Flats in Tbilisi
Flat sharing is kind of uncommon in Tbilisi so most individuals select to lease their very own place. Flats usually have one or two bedrooms and all the time come absolutely furnished.
Fuel heating and AC are ubiquitous, however it may be tougher to discover a place with an oven. Older buildings typically don’t have a working elevator – in order that’s one other factor to look out for.
There are a selection of internet sites for house searching. However for ease and to keep away from any potential communication boundaries, it’s a lot better to rent an agent or search in an English-language Fb Group reminiscent of this one.
Most homeowners ask for no less than six months. In case you don’t need to decide to a contract, Airbnb is an efficient various. Most hosts supply month-to-month reductions and are sometimes prepared to barter on longer stays. It’s also possible to take a look at Reserving.com for house leases.
WiFi Pace in Tbilisi
Entry to quick, dependable WiFi just isn’t a problem in Tbilisi.
At residence, you’ll seemingly have a fiber web connection. Speeds common 20-100 Mbps up/down relying on the supplier. Speeds of 20 Mbps up/down are in regards to the common for many cafes and coworking areas as properly.
Anticipate to pay round 50 GEL ($16.20 USD) monthly for a 50mbit web connection at residence with Silknet or related.
Energy outages do occur now and again (particularly in older buildings) so in case you work on-line, you’ll want a backup plan. Cell knowledge may be very inexpensive so most individuals simply tether from their cell phone.
Magti is essentially the most dependable cell supplier and affords a limiteless 4G plan for simply 5 GEL ($1.60 USD) per week.
Co-working Areas in Tbilisi
Practically each cafe (and a few bars!) in Tbilisi are laptop computer-friendly with free WiFi. Many digital nomads choose to hotdesk at cafes reminiscent of Espresso LAB, Fabrika, Prospero’s and Mziuri.
In case you choose an organised coworking house, listed here are three of the preferred.
Terminal
Terminal has 5 branches in Tbilisi, with Terminal on Khorava in Vera being the preferred. The primary space is spacious and well-ventilated, with loads of desks and a small kitchen.
Terminal is open 24/7 and affords a number of ranges of membership, together with a weekend go for 40 GEL and a month-to-month go for 400 GEL.
LOKAL Tbilisi
Each a co-working and a co-living house, LOKAL is a good possibility for anybody who likes to combine socializing and networking with work.
Indoor and outside areas can be found, and there’s a weekly occasion program of meet-ups, board recreation nights, trivia and the like that runs all year long.
A hotdesk prices $7/day.
Area Z
Situated in Saburtalo, Area Z has a big sunlit frequent space the place you may both lease a set desk or discover a spot you want. Swinging chairs, hammocks and a small library give it a extra laid-back really feel.
Month-to-month membership begins from 120 GEL.
What’s the Price of Dwelling in Tbilisi?
Tbilisi is an especially inexpensive metropolis by digital nomad requirements. A single individual can realistically get by on $500-600 USD/month, whereas the common price of residing for a pair is round $900-1200 USD/month.
Lease ranges from $350-500 USD/month on common for an house. Utilities are extraordinarily low-cost, normally costing below $50 USD/month for 2 individuals (a tad extra in winter in case you’re working fuel heaters).
Consuming out can be very inexpensive, particularly in case you keep on with native eating places.
A beneficiant meal for 2 with wine may cost a little 50-60 GEL ($16-20 USD), whereas costs at worldwide eating places are round 10-20% extra. Observe that VAT (18%) and a ten% service cost could be added to the invoice.
Contemporary produce is simple to return by and grocery shops reminiscent of Carrefour and Europroduct carry all the pieces a house cook dinner may presumably want. Funds $40-70 USD/week for groceries for 2 individuals.
A health club membership prices between 100-150 GEL ($32-50 USD), film tickets 10 GEL ($3.20 USD), and an evening on the opera will set you again 25-35 GEL ($8-12 USD).
It’s simple to get round Tbilisi utilizing the bus community and metro system. Fares price a flat 50 tetri (round $0.15 US cents), when you can go wherever within the metropolis with a taxi booked by Bolt for between 4-12 GEL ($1.30-4 USD).
Take into account the rationale the price of residing is so cheap is as a result of native wages are so low (nearly 20% of individuals in Georgia dwell beneath absolutely the poverty line).
Assist native companies, tip workers if you obtain good service, and in case you can, think about donating time or cash to an organisation reminiscent of Complete Braveness.
Professionals and Cons of Dwelling in Tbilisi as an Expat
Tbilisi has its pluses and minuses similar to every other metropolis. However for me, the professionals far outweigh the cons.
Greatest Issues About Dwelling in Tbilisi as a Digital Nomad
- The convenience of coming into Georgia and dealing legally with out the necessity for a visa or allow is a large plus.
- Healthcare and dental care are inexpensive and of a excessive normal (if the place to go).
- Georgian meals and wine are unimaginable. And with so many seasonal dishes and regional selection, it’s not a delicacies that you simply tire of simply.
- Tbilisi is Georgia’s cultural capital, with quick access to performing arts, museums and nightlife (bars, golf equipment and dwell music).
- Georgia’s range of landscapes means countless journey alternatives proper in your doorstep. Mountaineering, snowboarding, urbexing, vineyards, tenting, offroading and paragliding are all out there.
Downsides of Dwelling in Tbilisi as a Digital Nomad
- It’s important to forgo some conveniences. It’s troublesome to search out some specialty merchandise, and easy issues like procuring on-line by Amazon are extra sophisticated (and with import taxes, costlier).
- Air high quality and noise air pollution from site visitors have gotten an actual challenge. You possibly can handle this to some extent by being selective about which space of town you select to dwell in.
- The usual of customer support in Tbilisi is kind of poor. Although not a deal-breaker, this will get you down when it’s one thing you expertise on daily basis. Attempt to be affected person and don’t take it personally.
Conclusion
I hope this information has supplied some insights into life in Tbilisi as a digital nomad.
One ultimate piece of recommendation: Don’t transfer to Tbilisi for the low price of residing or the tax breaks – transfer right here since you like it. Tbilisi is a very simple metropolis to dwell in, however it does current some explicit challenges, so it’s essential to be versatile and open-minded.