Moving to Georgia

Georgia is a magnificent country bordered by Armenia and Turkey on the south, Russia on the north and Azerbaijan on the east eith access to the Black Sea on the west.

Wherever from the world you're planning to move from, you'll find Georgia's environment incredibly diverse. You can find semi-desert landscapes, tropical forests, beaches and mountains which cover about 80% of the country's territory.

Georgia has a rich history and has around 150 museums, churches, cathedrals, and bridges, and over 12,000 monuments, some of which are centuries old. The country is also famous for its wine and wineries, particularly within the former soviet union countries, but since more recently also in Europe. The locals tend to be hospitable, friendly, willing to help and make friends with expats.

Despite being one of the fastest growing economies within Eastern Europe, the unemployment rate is relatively high at 12.6% and the locals have a considerably low income compared to western European countries. This however would be advantageous to expats working from home for international companies and retirees that could take advantage of the low living costs.

Job market

Since Georgia gained its independence, it has seen a drastic progress in its economy. The mining of copper, silver, iron, and gold from the Caucasus Mountains increased while wine making continued to be a popular tradition in the country.

Georgia also has a great location advantage due to access to the Black Sea and the historical Silk Road. The country also holds rich hydropower resources, and a great potenatial in the tourism and agriculture sectors. However at present the services sector in Georgia is becoming more prominent than the agricultural industry.

Select the size of your move to get free quotes

Property information

Due to lower costs of living and incomes, the prices of property are reasonably affordable. However, if you are not going to Georgia for too long, then you'd probably consider renting first. Here is an approximation of the property prices and rent in Tbilisi:

Schools and education

There are plenty of schools, colleges, and universities in Georgia. Primary education and Middle school is mandatory for all the children from 6 to 17/18 years old. After middle school comes secondary education, vocational education, and then tertiary education, which are all, of course, optional.

A secondary school certificate is needed if a child wishes to pursue higher education. The higher education programs are normally divided into three usual categories, i.e. the bachelor’s program lasting for 3 to 4 years, the master’s program lasting for another 2 years, and the doctoral program lasting for 3 years.

Since 2008, there have been 20 higher education institutions that the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia accredited. The oldest university of the country is Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, which was founded in 1918. There are many other great state and private universities such as Gori University, Georgian Technical University, Georgian Institute of Public Affairs, Tbilisi Medical Academy, and Georgian Aviation University. Most of these universities are located in Tbilisi, which is the capital of the country.

A day in the life

Georgia is known for its simple yet amazing cuisine and wine, beautiful landscapes, hospitable people, old architecture, and a variety of monuments. The easiest and probably the most preferred way of traveling around is by using a ‘Marshrutka’, which is a minibus that operates as a shared taxi. However most expats from western cities would find taxis very reasonably priced, often not more expensive than the public transport in the west.

With a lot of lovely cities to explore and amazing food to gobble down, an average day in the country can be promising. Georgia is especially great for the adventurous people out there with a love for nature, food, wine and eager for new experiences. As you might expect Mountain hiking is quite common in Georgia, considering that the mountains cover 80% of country's territory.

Cost of moving

The average cost of shipping for a family of three from the below cities would be as follows:

Major cities in Georgia

The largest city in Georgia is Tbilisi where you can find a lot of fun activities to get involved in. If you decide to move to Tbilisi, the most important choice you'll have to make is to decide if you want to live in the City Center or suburbs. The cost of living in the city center is higher as compared to living outside the city center.

Dinamo Arena is a purely residential neighborhood in Tbilisi, the country's capital. While there are a lot of old buildings in the area, the neighborhood is actually quite close to the David Agmashenebeli Avenue, which is considered to be the hub of new buildings, shopping outlets, cafes, and restaurants. The neighborhood is also in close proximity to markets, a large local baker and transportation.

Batumi is another great city with plenty of palm trees lined up on the streets and near the beaches of the Black Sea.

Borjomi is a picturesque city, quite smaller than the capital city which is famous for its mineral water, the summer palace of Russian Romanov dynasty, and the national park.

If, on the other hand, you are fond of wine, then you would love living in Telavi. This city hosts loads of wineries along with several monasteries and castles.

If you want to live near the beach resorts, then Sukhumi is definitely the place for you. Situated near the mountains, you also get to enjoy great scenery.

While these are just some of the major cities in the country, you also have as an option, one of the many small towns around the country. The small towns have their own charm and a genuinely authentic vibe, capable of offering a truly unique experience.