What Currency Does Georgia Use? Your Guide to the Georgian Lari (GEL)

💰 Click here to see Georgia Budget Breakdown

💰 Prices updated: May 2026. Budget figures are estimates — always verify before travel.

Exchange Rate: $1 USD = ₾2.68

Daily Budget (per person)

Shoestring: ₾80.00 – ₾135.00 ($29.85 – $50.37)

Mid-range: ₾134.00 – ₾300.00 ($50.00 – $111.94)

Comfortable: ₾300.00 – ₾600.00 ($111.94 – $223.88)

Accommodation (per night)

Hostel/guesthouse: ₾16.00 – ₾40.00 ($5.97 – $14.93)

Mid-range hotel: ₾145.00 – ₾200.00 ($54.10 – $74.63)

Food (per meal)

Budget meal: ₾20.00 ($7.46)

Mid-range meal: ₾60.00 ($22.39)

Upscale meal: ₾120.00 ($44.78)

Transport

Single metro/bus trip: ₾1.00 ($0.37)

Monthly transport pass: ₾50.00 ($18.66)

Georgia has a reputation for being affordable, and it is — but plenty of travellers arrive in 2026 still confused about which payment methods work where, whether they need cash at all, and why their card got declined at a marshrutka station in Didube. The short answer: cards are brilliant in Tbilisi’s restaurants and supermarkets, and nearly useless on an intercity minibus heading to Kazbegi. Getting this balance right before you land will save you real frustration on day one.

The Georgian Lari — What You’re Actually Holding

The official currency of Georgia is the Georgian Lari, abbreviated as GEL and written with the symbol ₾. The Lari has been Georgia’s currency since 1995, replacing the coupon system used after independence. It is divided into 100 Tetri — think of Tetri as cents.

Banknotes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 GEL. The current series features prominent Georgian historical figures and landmarks — the engraving detail on a 50 GEL note is genuinely striking if you hold it up to the light. Coins exist in 1 GEL and 2 GEL, plus smaller Tetri coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 Tetri. In practice, the 1 and 2 Tetri coins almost never appear in change — prices are rounded at the till.

The Lari is a free-floating currency. It is not pegged to the dollar or euro, which means its exchange rate shifts daily. Check a live source like Google or xe.com on the morning you plan to exchange money rather than relying on a rate you saw a week before your trip. Historically the GEL has been relatively stable against the euro and dollar, but there have been periods of movement, so locking in expectations on a fixed rate is a mistake.

A practical note on large denominations: the 200 GEL note can occasionally cause friction at small shops or market stalls, where vendors struggle to make change. When you exchange money or withdraw from an ATM, ask for a mix of 20s and 50s if possible.

Where Cards Work and Where They Don’t

The gap between urban card acceptance and rural cash reality in Georgia is one of the starkest payment divides you’ll encounter anywhere in Europe or the Caucasus. Understanding this divide saves you from being stranded without Lari at the wrong moment.

Where cards work reliably

In Tbilisi, Batumi, and Kutaisi, card payments are standard at:

• Major supermarkets — Carrefour, Goodwill, Fresco, and Nikora all accept Visa and Mastercard without issue
• Modern restaurants, wine bars, and cafes
• Hotels and guesthouses in urban areas
• Pharmacies, including PSP and Aversi chains
• Retail clothing and souvenir shops in tourist districts

Visa and Mastercard are universally accepted wherever cards are taken. American Express works in most places but has slightly lower acceptance. Discover and Diners Club are rarely accepted — leave those at home. Apple Pay and Google Pay work well with Georgian bank cards and with most international cards that support them. Contactless terminals are standard in the urban card-accepting world.

Where cash is king

Carry Lari for all of these situations:

• Intercity marshrutka minibuses — cash to the driver, always
• Bazaars and street markets — Dezerter Bazaar in Tbilisi, the weekend markets in Telavi, local food stalls everywhere
• Rural guesthouses — a family guesthouse in Ushguli or a homestay near Omalo in Tusheti will not have a card terminal
• Small village shops — a single-room corner shop in a Racha or Svaneti village will take cash only



• Individual taxi drivers — not using Bolt or Yandex Go? Carry cash. Many older drivers do not carry readers

For ride-hailing, Bolt and Yandex Go both allow you to pay by card in-app, which removes the cash problem for city transport entirely. But step outside the app ecosystem and cash remains the default.

ATMs in Georgia — How to Withdraw Without Getting Stung

ATMs are easy to find in any Georgian city, and even in most district towns. The three networks you’ll use most are TBC Bank (the largest ATM network in the country), Bank of Georgia (second largest), and Liberty Bank (strong presence in smaller towns and post offices). Other banks including Basisbank and Credo Bank also have machines in various locations.

ATM fees for international cards

Georgian bank ATMs typically charge a fee for foreign card withdrawals. In 2026, expect a flat fee of 4–8 GEL per transaction, or a percentage in the range of 1.5% to 3% of the withdrawal amount — usually whichever is higher. Your home bank may also add its own international withdrawal charge on top of this. Check both before you travel.

Per-transaction withdrawal limits for international cards typically sit between 1,000 and 2,500 GEL. If you need more cash, simply do a second withdrawal — though keep in mind you’ll pay the fee again. To reduce fee impact, withdraw larger amounts less frequently rather than small amounts repeatedly.

Step-by-step ATM withdrawal

1. Insert your card fully into the slot
2. Select English from the language menu
3. Enter your 4-digit PIN
4. Choose Withdrawal or Cash Withdrawal
5. Select your account type if prompted (choose Checking/Current)
6. Enter your desired amount in GEL
7. Read the fee disclosure screen carefully before confirming
8. If offered a choice between your home currency and GEL, always choose GEL



9. Collect your cash first, then your card

Use ATMs attached to bank branches rather than standalone machines in tourist-heavy spots or inside convenience stores — they tend to be more reliable and their fee disclosures are clearer. Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue, Vake district, and Batumi’s seafront all have multiple bank-branch ATMs within walking distance of each other.

Currency Exchange Offices — Better Rates Than You’d Expect

Georgia has one of the most competitive street-level currency exchange markets in the region. Exchange offices — called Valutis Gadacvla in Georgian, and usually signed simply as VALUTA or EXCHANGE — operate on thin margins and compete aggressively on rate. This is good news for travellers.

Which currencies exchange well

USD and EUR get the best rates, full stop. Every exchange office in every Georgian city will take them at tight spreads. GBP, Turkish Lira, and Russian Ruble are also accepted widely, but the spreads are slightly wider. If you’re carrying another currency — Swiss Francs, Canadian or Australian dollars — you can exchange them in Tbilisi city centre, but the rates are less competitive and some smaller offices won’t take them at all.

How to exchange without getting a bad rate

1. Walk past at least two or three offices and note the rates on their boards before committing
2. Look for the words “No Commission” (კომისიის გარეშე) — reputable offices display this and it means the rate on the board is what you receive, no hidden deductions
3. State your currency and amount clearly at the window before handing anything over
4. Confirm the GEL amount you’ll receive before you pass the cash through
5. Count your Lari at the counter before you walk away — counting it later in the street is too late if there’s a discrepancy
6. Ask for a receipt if you want a record

Avoid the airport exchange desks for anything beyond a small emergency amount. Tbilisi Shota Rustaveli International Airport and Batumi Airport both have exchange offices in arrivals, but their rates are noticeably worse than what you’ll find five minutes from your hotel in the city. Exchange just enough at the airport to cover a taxi or first meal, then find a street exchange office once you’ve settled in.

For large exchanges — the equivalent of more than around 5,000 GEL — the exchange office may ask for your passport under anti-money laundering regulations set by the National Bank of Georgia. For standard tourist amounts, no ID is typically required.

One practical tip: a crisp 100 USD or 100 EUR note will sometimes get you a marginally better rate than a stack of 20s. It’s a small difference, but worth knowing if you’re carrying larger bills.

Paying for Transport — Metro, Marshrutkas, and the Railway

Transport in Georgia spans three very different payment systems, and mixing them up leads to the most avoidable money frustrations travellers face.

Georgian Railway

Train tickets can be bought online at www.railway.ge using a Visa or Mastercard, at ticket office windows in major stations with either card or cash, or from self-service kiosks at stations. In 2026, approximate fares are:

• Tbilisi to Batumi, fast train, 2nd class: 45–55 GEL
• Tbilisi to Batumi, fast train, 1st class: 70–80 GEL
• Tbilisi to Kutaisi, fast train, 2nd class: 28–35 GEL

Urban transport in Tbilisi

The Tbilisi metro and city buses use a Metromoney card — a reusable plastic card you buy at metro stations for 2 GEL (the card itself) and then top up. A single ride on metro or bus costs 1 GEL, and a 90-minute transfer ticket also costs 1 GEL, allowing unlimited transfers within that window.

Since 2024, Tbilisi has expanded support for contactless bank card payment directly on metro gates and bus validators. Tap your Visa or Mastercard contactless and the fare deducts automatically — no Metromoney card needed. This is one of the genuinely useful updates for tourists in 2026. Batumi and Kutaisi have similar systems using local cards or contactless bank cards on city buses.

Intercity marshrutkas

Pay cash in GEL to the driver. No exceptions. No card reader, no app. Approximate fares in 2026:

• Tbilisi to Stepantsminda (Kazbegi): 20–25 GEL
• Tbilisi to Kutaisi: 15–20 GEL
• Tbilisi to Sighnaghi: 12–18 GEL

Have exact or close-to-exact change ready. Drivers running early-morning routes out of Didube station (for western Georgia) and Samgori station (for eastern Georgia and the mountains) are handling many passengers and appreciate not breaking a 100 GEL note at 7am.

Tipping in Georgia — What’s Expected and What’s Optional

Georgian hospitality culture sits in an interesting place around tipping. It is appreciated but not aggressive — no one will chase you out of a restaurant for not leaving something extra, but a 10% tip at a sit-down restaurant is a genuine norm in 2026.

Restaurants and cafes

The standard tip for good service is 10% of the bill. Before you calculate that, check whether a service charge has already been added. Many restaurants in tourist areas — particularly in Tbilisi’s Fabrika district, along Batumi’s seafront, and in Old Town wine restaurants — automatically add a service charge of 10% to 18%. The Georgian term on the bill is მომსახურების საკომისიო (momsakhurebis sakomisio). If it’s already there, any additional tip is entirely your choice. If it’s not there, 10% is the right move for decent service.

Other tipping situations

• Bolt/Yandex Go rides: Rounding up to the nearest Lari is common. A 5–10% tip for exceptional service is generous but not expected
• Private tour guides: For a full-day private tour, 20–50 GEL per person is an appropriate gesture for good guiding



• Hotel porters and housekeeping: 5–10 GEL is a reasonable amount
• Marshrutka drivers: Tipping is not customary and not expected

Cash tips are preferred in almost every situation — handing a banknote directly is clearer and more personal than adding it to a card transaction, where it may or may not reach the server depending on how the establishment handles gratuities.

2026 Budget Reality — What Things Actually Cost

These are real-world price ranges based on 2026 conditions. Georgia remains genuinely affordable by European standards, but prices in Tbilisi’s tourist areas have risen noticeably since 2022–2023 as visitor numbers increased. Budget accordingly.

Budget tier (keeping costs low)

• Dorm bed in a Tbilisi hostel: 35–55 GEL per night
• Khachapuri (cheese bread) from a bakery: 4–8 GEL
• Khinkali dumplings (per piece): 1.50–2.50 GEL
• Local beer (500ml, supermarket): 3–5 GEL
• Metro or city bus ride: 1 GEL
• Tbilisi to Batumi marshrutka: 20–30 GEL

Mid-range tier (comfortable travel)

• Private room in a mid-range guesthouse or small hotel: 120–220 GEL per night
• Sit-down lunch at a local restaurant (with wine): 35–70 GEL per person
• Bolt taxi across central Tbilisi: 8–18 GEL
• Day tour to Mtskheta or Kakheti from Tbilisi: 60–120 GEL per person
• Georgian wine (mid-range bottle, wine shop): 20–45 GEL

Comfortable tier (no real budget watching)

• Boutique hotel room in Tbilisi or Sighnaghi: 300–600 GEL per night
• Dinner at a well-regarded restaurant with natural wine pairing: 100–180 GEL per person
• Private driver for a full-day mountain trip (Kazbegi): 300–450 GEL for the vehicle
• Tbilisi to Batumi first-class train seat: 70–80 GEL

The steam rising off a plate of freshly torn Adjarian khachapuri — the boat-shaped kind loaded with egg and butter — at a Tbilisi side-street bakery costs under 10 GEL and is one of the better food experiences in the country. Budget travel in Georgia still delivers quality, which is part of why the country draws so many independent travellers.

Money Mistakes Travellers Make (and How to Avoid Them)

The same errors come up repeatedly. Knowing them in advance takes minutes; recovering from them can take hours.

Paying in USD or EUR at shops

Some street vendors or small shops will technically accept dollars or euros, but the exchange rate they apply will be terrible — often 10–15% worse than you’d get at a street exchange office. Always pay in GEL. Always.

Not telling your bank before travelling

Georgian transactions can trigger fraud alerts on foreign cards, especially on the first ATM withdrawal or first in-store purchase. A blocked card at 10pm before a morning departure to the mountains is a bad situation. Notify your bank of your travel dates before you leave.

Carrying only one card

Cards occasionally fail — the magnetic strip gets demagnetised, the chip has a read error, the bank temporarily blocks it. Carry at least two cards from two different networks (ideally one Visa, one Mastercard) and keep them in separate places.

Not having cash for mountain villages

If you are heading to Svaneti, Tusheti, Kazbegi’s outlying villages, or Racha, withdraw enough Lari in Tbilisi or at the last sizeable town before you go deeper. ATMs become sparse or unreliable. Guesthouses, local guides, and food suppliers in these areas are cash-only. Running out of Lari on a two-day hike above Mestia is a real problem.

Accepting Dynamic Currency Conversion

At an ATM or card terminal, if you are offered the choice to pay in your home currency instead of GEL, decline it. DCC locks in a rate that benefits the bank or the processor, not you. The difference might be 3–5% of the transaction — on a 500 GEL hotel bill, that’s 15–25 GEL straight into someone else’s pocket.

Ignoring the service charge line on the restaurant bill

The bill arrives, you see the total, you add 10% out of habit, then notice the service charge was already baked in. Double-tipping happens constantly in tourist restaurants. Read the itemised bill before you calculate anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use euros or US dollars directly in Georgia?

Technically some vendors accept them, but you will receive a poor exchange rate. Georgia’s official transaction currency is the Georgian Lari (GEL). Always exchange USD or EUR into Lari at a street exchange office before making purchases. Airports have the worst exchange rates — use them only for small emergency amounts on arrival.

Are there ATMs in the mountains — places like Kazbegi or Mestia?

Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) has at least one ATM, but it can run out of cash during busy summer weekends. Mestia in Svaneti has limited ATM access. Withdraw sufficient Lari in Tbilisi before travelling to remote mountain areas. For Tusheti, treat it as entirely cash-based — there are no reliable ATMs there.

What is the standard tip at Georgian restaurants in 2026?

Ten percent of the bill for good service, but check whether a service charge (momsakhurebis sakomisio) has already been added. Charges of 10–18% are common in tourist-area restaurants, particularly in Tbilisi and Batumi. If a service charge is already included, any additional tip is optional. Pay tips in cash when possible.

What is the best card to use in Georgia to avoid fees?

Cards with no foreign transaction fees and no international ATM withdrawal charges work best — options like Wise, Revolut, or Charles Schwab (for US travellers) are popular among frequent visitors. Always choose to pay in GEL rather than your home currency to avoid Dynamic Currency Conversion charges. Carry a backup card from a different network.

How much cash should I carry day-to-day in Georgia?

In Tbilisi, 50–100 GEL in your wallet covers most daily cash needs — marshrutkas, market food, small purchases. For a day trip to the mountains or a village overnight stay, carry at least 200–300 GEL. For a multi-day trek through rural areas like Svaneti or Tusheti, carry all your estimated expenses in cash before departure.

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📷 Featured image by Nick Osipov on Unsplash.