Tbilisi is one of the cheapest capitals in Europe — with excellent food, extraordinary architecture and good accommodation at prices that feel like Eastern Europe 15 years ago. Here is the honest 2026 budget guide.

💰 Daily Budget Breakdown

  • ✔ Shoestring (€20–25/day): Hostel dorm €8–12, street food and local restaurants €8–12, metro €1–2, free sights
  • ✔ Budget (€30–45/day): Budget guesthouse €15–25, restaurant meals €10–15, metro + taxi
  • ✔ Mid-range (€55–80/day): Boutique hotel €40–60, good restaurants €15–22, tours
  • ✔ Comfortable (€90–130/day): Excellent hotel €70–100, fine dining, private tours

🆓 What's Free in Tbilisi

🍽️ Eating on a Budget

Georgian food is extraordinary and very cheap. Khinkali (soup dumplings, 5 pieces): €2–4 at a local restaurant. Full khachapuri (cheese bread): €3–5. A carafe of house wine: €3–6. A complete meal at a local Georgian restaurant in Old Tbilisi costs €6–10 per person including wine. Street food — churchkhela (walnut grape sweets), fresh bread from the tone bakery — costs almost nothing.

Avoid: Tourist-facing restaurants on the main Rustaveli axis — 2–3x the price for the same food available in the old city alleys.

🎟️ Paid Attractions — Worth It?

  • ✔ Sulfur baths (Abanotubani private room): 20–40 GEL (€7–14) — absolutely worth it, unique experience
  • ✔ National Museum Treasury: ~15 GEL (€5) — worth it, extraordinary Bronze Age gold
  • ✔ Mtatsminda funicular: ~5 GEL (€1.80) each way — worth it for the panorama
  • ✔ Cable car to Narikala: ~2.50 GEL (€0.90) — worth it, fortress itself is free
  • ✔ Mtskheta day trip (DIY): ~6 GEL (€2) each way by minibus — exceptional value
  • ✔ Kazbegi day trip (shared tour): €20–30 — worth it, impossible to do cheaply solo without a car

🏨 Budget Accommodation

Tbilisi has excellent budget options. Guesthouses in Old Tbilisi from €12–20/night (often with breakfast included — Georgian hospitality). Hostels from €8–12 dorm. Private guesthouses in Vera district from €20–35. Budget travellers in Tbilisi fare extremely well — this is one of the cheapest good-quality-of-sleep cities in Europe.

→ Find Budget Tbilisi Hotels

FAQs

How much money do I need per day in Tbilisi?
€25–30/day covers a budget guesthouse, all meals at local restaurants, a few metro rides and one paid attraction. €40–50/day gives a comfortable mid-budget experience with a private hotel room.

Is Georgia cheaper than Poland?
Yes — significantly. Tbilisi is 30–40% cheaper than Warsaw or Kraków. It's among the cheapest capitals in Europe, comparable to some Balkan cities.

Is Tbilisi cheap for food and drink?
Extremely. A full meal with wine at a local Georgian restaurant costs €6–10. A bottle of good Georgian wine from a supermarket: €3–6. Coffee: €1–1.80. Beer: €1.50–3.