Georgia operates on the Georgian lari, denoted GEL, introduced in 1995 to replace the Georgian coupon. The lari subdivides into 100 tetri. The National Bank of Georgia maintains the currency at a managed float against major currencies, with the exchange rate fluctuating between approximately 2.5 and 3.2 lari per US dollar since 2020. Banknotes circulate in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 lari, while coins range from 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 tetri to 1 and 2 lari. The 200-lari note entered circulation in 2021. Counterfeit currency exists at low prevalence, concentrated in higher denominations. Damaged or excessively worn notes may be refused by smaller merchants, though banks exchange them at face value. The lari symbol ₾ was adopted officially in 2014.
Foreign currency exchange occurs through banks, dedicated exchange bureaus, and some hotels. Banks offer rates within 1-2 percent of interbank rates but charge service fees ranging from 1 to 5 lari per transaction. Exchange bureaus cluster in Tbilisi around Rustaveli Avenue, Liberty Square, and the Old Town, in Batumi along the waterfront and near the bus station, and in Kutaisi on Tsereteli Avenue. Competition keeps bureau rates competitive, typically within 0.5 percent of bank rates, with no transaction fees. US dollars and euros exchange most readily; British pounds, Russian rubles, Turkish lira, and Armenian dram exchange at wider spreads. Bureaus display rates visibly, and Georgia's small size means rate variation between cities rarely exceeds 2 percent. Exchanging currency at Tbilisi International Airport yields rates 3-5 percent worse than city center bureaus. Hotels provide exchange as a convenience service at rates 5-8 percent below market. Border crossings with Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey have exchange facilities with rates 2-4 percent below those in major cities. Black market exchange offers no advantage and carries legal risk.
ATMs dispense lari through networks operated by Bank of Georgia, TBC Bank, Liberty Bank, VTB Bank, Credo Bank, and others. Machines concentrate in Tbilisi, Batumi, and Kutaisi but exist in all towns with populations above 5,000. Cards on Visa, Mastercard, American Express, UnionPay, and Mir networks function at most ATMs. Withdrawal limits per transaction range from 500 to 2,000 lari depending on the bank operating the machine. Daily withdrawal limits typically reach 4,000 lari for foreign cards. Transaction fees imposed by Georgian banks range from 2 to 3.5 lari per withdrawal, in addition to fees charged by the card-issuing bank. Some ATMs dispense US dollars in addition to lari, primarily those at the airport and in Batumi hotels. ATMs inside bank branches operate during banking hours, generally 09:00-18:00 Monday through Friday and 10:00-15:00 Saturday, while standalone machines function continuously. Rural areas including Tusheti, upper Svaneti, and parts of Kakheti lack ATM access entirely.
Credit and debit cards see widespread acceptance in Tbilisi, Batumi, and Kutaisi. Major supermarket chains including Carrefour, Goodwill, Fresco, and Nikora accept cards at all locations. Restaurants in tourist areas process cards above minimum purchase amounts ranging from 10 to 30 lari. Wolt and Glovo delivery services require card payment. Hotels rated three stars and above accept cards, though some impose surcharges of 2-3 percent. Fuel stations operated by Rompetrol, Lukoil, Wissol, and Gulf accept cards without minimums. Card acceptance drops sharply outside major cities. Markets, marshrutkas, family-run guesthouses, street food vendors, and most taxis require cash. The village of Ushguli had no card acceptance infrastructure as of 2023. Contactless payment through cards and mobile phones functions at terminals installed after 2018, which represents approximately 60 percent of card-accepting merchants in Tbilisi and 30 percent elsewhere.
Mobile payment systems operate through TBC Pay, BOG mPay, and Ertguli, each linked to accounts at TBC Bank, Bank of Georgia, and Credo Bank respectively. These systems allow QR code payments, phone-to-phone transfers, and merchant payments where supported. Adoption concentrates in Tbilisi among residents under 40. International mobile payment systems including Apple Pay and Google Pay function with Georgian bank cards and with foreign cards at merchants with contactless terminals. Coverage remains limited in practical terms for short-term visitors who lack Georgian bank accounts. Cryptocurrency payment acceptance exists in perhaps twenty merchants in Tbilisi, primarily cafes and tech-related businesses, with no meaningful presence outside the capital.
The cost structure in Georgia positions it among the least expensive countries in Europe for visitors. A bed in a hostel dormitory costs 15-30 lari in Tbilisi, 12-25 lari in Batumi, and 20-40 lari in Mestia during high season. Private rooms in guesthouses range from 40-80 lari in cities and 50-100 lari in mountain villages where supply constrains pricing. Mid-range hotels charge 120-250 lari per night. A khachapuri costs 3-8 lari depending on variety and location, while a khinkali order of ten dumplings runs 8-15 lari. A substantial meal at a neighborhood restaurant costs 15-30 lari per person; dining at higher-end establishments in Tbilisi or Batumi reaches 50-80 lari. A half-liter of local beer costs 3-5 lari in shops and 6-10 lari in restaurants. Wine by the bottle at retail starts at 8 lari for table wine and reaches 25-50 lari for recognized qvevri wines from Kakheti. A marshrutka ride within Tbilisi costs 1 lari, intercity trips cost 0.50-1 lari per 10 kilometers. Petrol costs approximately 3.30 lari per liter as of 2024. Entry to most museums costs 3-15 lari. National park entry remains free, though some sites like Prometheus Cave charge 20-25 lari. A visitor spending on budget accommodations, public transport, and local food can sustain travel on 50-80 lari daily. Mid-range travelers allocating funds for occasional restaurant meals, wine tastings, and museum entries typically spend 120-200 lari daily.
Tipping operates as a developing practice without rigid convention. Restaurants include service charges rarely; when they do, the charge appears as 10-15 percent and is stated on the menu. In the absence of a service charge, rounding up the bill or leaving 5-10 percent is appreciated in establishments serving international visitors but not expected in neighborhood eateries where locals predominate. Taxi drivers do not expect tips; rounding up the fare to the nearest lari is common. Hotel porters receive 2-5 lari per bag in upscale hotels; budget accommodations operate without porter services. Tour guides receive 20-50 lari per day per client for private tours. No tipping occurs in shops, markets, or routine service transactions.
Georgia's telecommunications infrastructure supports three major mobile operators: Silknet, Magticom, and Beeline. Coverage via 4G LTE extends across Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, and all major highways connecting these cities. Network quality degrades in mountainous terrain, with 3G or 2G service prevailing in Svaneti, Tusheti, Racha, and Pshavi. Villages above 2,000 meters including parts of Ushguli and Juta experience intermittent service. The Armenian and Azerbaijani border regions receive signal bleed from operators in those countries. South Ossetia and Abkhazia operate separate networks inaccessible to visitors without special arrangements. Independent testing in 2023 showed Silknet achieving the highest average download speeds at 35-45 Mbps in Tbilisi, with Magticom at 30-40 Mbps and Beeline at 25-35 Mbps. Upload speeds averaged 12-18 Mbps across providers. 5G deployment commenced in Tbilisi in 2023 on a limited basis.