A Working Day in Tbilisi — What the Tour Covers
This tour is for people who've moved here for the long term, not just two weeks. The questions here are different: not "where to eat khinkali" but "where's a co-working space with decent internet", "how do I hire an accountant", "where can I find an English-speaking doctor". I live in Tbilisi and I know the answers to all of these.
10:00 — Co-working Spaces & Workspaces
We start with an overview of Tbilisi's co-working ecosystem. We visit 2–3 spaces in person: Fabrika (Agmashenebeli Avenue, central) — day pass ₾30–50, monthly ₾300–400, stable WiFi, slightly noisy. Impact Hub (Krtsanisi) — quieter, corporate atmosphere, ₾350–500/month. Terminal (Vake) — pricier (₾600+), but meeting rooms and 200+ Mbps internet. I show you what they look like inside and introduce you to residents.
11:30 — Banks & Finances: A Practical Walkthrough
We pass the branches of TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia — the two main banks for expats. TBC Start: account opened with a foreign passport in 20 minutes, card issued immediately, ₾0 monthly fee. Bank of Georgia: takes a little longer but SWIFT transfers are simpler. I cover alternatives too: Credo Bank (shorter queues), crypto exchange offices on Marjanishvili Street (exchange rate 1–2% better than the banks).
12:30 — Neighborhoods: An Overview with Prices
We drive through different neighborhoods — looking at the streets, courtyards, noise levels. Saburtalo: quiet courtyards, schools, metro, 2-bedroom ₾600–800. Vake: upmarket, green, ₾1000–1500. Gldani: cheap (₾400–500) but far from the center. Navtlugi: new residential complexes, good infrastructure, ₾700–900. Digomi: new builds near the airport, ₾500–700. My advice: don't rush into a long-term lease in the first month — better to take a short-term flat (₾2000–3000/month equivalent) and choose your neighborhood at your own pace.
14:00 — Healthcare, Food, Everyday Life
I show you a trusted clinic with English-speaking doctors (Mediindustry, Vake — appointments from ₾40), Synevo laboratory (tests 2–3 times cheaper than in Western Europe), pharmacies. I explain Georgian healthcare: basic insurance exists for citizens, for expats it's commercial (from $30/month). We finish at Dezerter Bazaar — I show you where to buy a week's groceries on a ₾100–120 budget per person.
Practical Tips
- Before the tour: send me your list of questions on WhatsApp the day before we meet. I'll prepare specific answers, not generic ones.
- Sole trader in Georgia: an individual entrepreneur (IE) can be registered online in 1–2 days. Tax rate — 1% of turnover up to 500,000 GEL/year (Small Business status). I'll explain the details on the tour.
- Language: in the center and in business, everyone speaks Russian or English. Outside the center — Georgian and English. The first 3 words in Georgian open every door.
What to Bring
- Your passport — for a live demonstration of the bank account opening process
- A notebook or note-taking app — there will be a lot of information
- Your list of questions — send them in advance on WhatsApp
- ₾50–100 in cash — for coffee, lunch, and a test purchase at the market
- Comfortable shoes — we'll walk 4–5 km around the city