Currency exchange and money on the road

Who this is for

Tourists coming to Georgia for the first time who do not yet know the local money.

Also people living here long term who change money and make payments regularly.

Our role

We advise where and how to change money, show you a reliable office or bank and go with you if needed.

We do not change, carry or hold money. We take no commission from exchange offices or banks, and our fee is agreed in advance.

The lari

Georgia's national currency is the lari, and it is the only money you pay with in shops and restaurants.

One lari equals a hundred tetri, and prices are often written to the tetri.

On price tags you will see the lari sign or its abbreviation.

Banknotes and coins

Lari banknotes run from five to two hundred, and coins come in tetri and as one and two lari.

Paying with a large note in a small shop or taxi is sometimes hard because they have no change.

So when changing money, ask for part of it in small notes.

Why only lari

By law prices in Georgia must be in lari, and an ordinary shop will not accept dollars or euros.

Some hotels or tours also show a price in foreign currency, but we confirm the payment currency in advance.

In taxis, at markets and in cafes, only lari counts.

How much cash

In cities you can pay by card almost everywhere, so there is no need to carry a lot of cash.

You need cash for markets, villages, minibuses and small cafes.

Change cash bit by bit, not the whole sum at once.

Exchange offices

In Tbilisi and large cities there are exchange offices on almost every street.

An office may be a separate kiosk, or inside a shop, a bank or a shopping centre.

Many offices stay open late, and some all night.

Licensing and regulation

Exchange offices operate under the supervision of the National Bank of Georgia and must be registered.

An official office displays its rates clearly and gives you a receipt.

Do not hand money to an unmarked, random place or a private individual.

The rate board

Each currency's rate is shown in the office window or on a screen.

Rates can change during the day, and two neighbouring offices can have different rates.

Before changing a large sum, compare two or three offices.

Buying and selling rates

The board shows two figures: the rate at which the office buys a currency and the rate at which it sells.

When you change dollars or euros, the buying rate is the one that matters to you.

A big gap between the two figures means the office keeps more.

Commission

Georgian offices often show no separate commission; the margin is in the rate.

If an office asks for a separate commission, ask before you change.

Check the final amount on the receipt before leaving the window.

Which currency to bring

Dollars and euros are exchanged everywhere, and their rates are the most favourable.

Pounds, Swiss francs and other major currencies are usually exchanged in large cities.

Change a rare currency at home beforehand, as the rate here will be less favourable.

Neighbouring currencies

Many offices change roubles, Turkish lira, Armenian dram and Azerbaijani manat.

Rates for these currencies vary widely from office to office.

In the regions such currencies cannot always be exchanged.

Condition of banknotes

Torn, written-on, damaged or very old banknotes are often refused or given a worse rate.

So bring clean, unfolded banknotes for the trip.

Older-design dollars cause trouble at some offices, and we check this on the spot.

The airport

At the airport exchange office the rate is often less favourable than in town.

Change only what you need on the first day for a taxi or transfer and dinner.

If your transfer is booked in advance, you may not need to change anything at the airport.

The city centre

In central Tbilisi, on main streets and near the metro, rates are often better.

In the old town near tourist sights the rate is sometimes a little worse.

We show you a reliable office near your hotel as soon as you arrive.

Other cities

In Batumi, Kutaisi and other large cities, offices cluster in the centre and near markets.

A small town may have one or two offices, closed at weekends.

Before heading into the mountains, change cash in the last large town.

Banks

Changing money at a bank branch is safe, though the rate is sometimes a little less favourable.

Banks often ask for a passport when you change a large sum.

Banks usually keep business hours and open only partly at weekends.

Changing at the hotel

Some hotels change currency, but the rate is often less favourable.

Changing at reception is convenient only for a small sum.

You often pay the hotel bill by card, so there is no need to change cash for it.

Passport for large sums

Changing a small sum usually needs no passport.

For a large sum an office or bank may be required by law to ask for your passport.

So keep your passport with you for a large exchange.

The receipt

An official office gives you a receipt showing the amount and the rate.

Keep the receipt until you have counted the money at your hotel.

Without a receipt it is almost impossible to prove a complaint.

Counting at the window

Count the money at the window, in front of the cashier.

Once you have stepped away, proving a mistake is hard.

Count discreetly, not with the money on display in the street.

Street money changers

In the street, near a market or station, a private individual sometimes offers a better rate.

With such changers, counting tricks, fake notes or the risk of violence are common.

Always turn down a street offer, however tempting the rate.

Counterfeit notes

Fake lari are rare, and changing only at official offices almost removes the risk.

Lari banknotes have a watermark and a security thread, which you can see against the light.

If a note looks suspicious, ask for another at the window.

Cash machines

Cash machines are everywhere in cities, and you can withdraw lari with an international card.

Some machines also dispense dollars and euros, which is occasionally handy.

Withdrawing lari is often simpler than changing cash, though it depends on your bank's terms.

Cash machine safety

Use cash machines in daylight, inside a bank or a shopping centre.

Cover your hand when typing the PIN and look around carefully.

If a machine keeps your card, call your bank and block the card at once.

Your bank's fees

Your bank may charge a fee for withdrawals or card payments abroad.

Some machines add their own fee, which is shown on screen beforehand.

Occasional medium withdrawals are often better than many small ones.

Paying by card

Cards are accepted almost everywhere in restaurants, shops, hotels and taxi apps.

Contactless payment by phone or watch is normal in cities.

Keep a spare card separately in case your main one is blocked.

Choosing the currency at a terminal

Some terminals or cash machines ask whether to pay in lari or in your card's currency.

If you pay in your own currency, the local bank sets the rate, and it is often less favourable.

So always choose lari and let your own bank do the conversion.

Card blocks

Before the trip, tell your bank you will be in Georgia so your card is not blocked for an unusual payment.

Note your bank's international number and how to block the card in advance.

If you lose a card, block it first and then write to us, and we help with the rest.

Markets and villages

At markets, village shops and family guesthouses, often only cash is accepted.

Wineries and families increasingly take cards too, but we check in advance.

Haggling at markets is normal, and small change is very handy then.

In the mountains

High mountain villages may have no cash machine at all, or one that does not work.

Without internet, a card payment may also fail.

So before heading into the mountains, take enough cash for several days.

Small change

Minibuses, public toilets, small cafes and giving to people in need all require small change.

In the metro and on buses you pay by card or with a transport card.

Keep small change separate from larger notes, in an easy-to-reach pocket.

Tipping

Tipping is not compulsory in Georgia, but it is customary for good service.

Guides, drivers and waiters are often tipped in cash.

How much you tip is up to you, and no one will ask.

Service charges

Many restaurants already add a service charge to the bill.

Read the bill carefully so you do not tip twice.

If the bill is in Georgian, send us a photo and we will translate it.

Declaring cash at the border

At the border, cash above a certain threshold must be declared.

Before travelling with a large amount of cash, check the current rule in advance.

In general we do not recommend carrying large sums in cash while travelling.

Keeping money safe

Keep cash in several places: some in your wallet, some in the hotel safe.

Do not carry a large sum and your passport together.

In crowded places hold your bag in front and never keep a wallet in a back pocket.

Theft

If money or a card is stolen, block the card first and then go to the police.

A police report is often required for insurance, and we help with that.

We write about emergencies in a separate section.

Money transfers

If you need money from home, international transfer services and banks operate here.

To collect a transfer you usually need your passport.

We write about money transfers separately in the business section.

Living here longer

For people living in Georgia for months, a local bank account is often more convenient.

Paying with a local card and receiving salary or transfers in lari simplify everyday life.

We write about bank accounts in the relocation section.

Rent and currency

The price of a long-term apartment rental is sometimes given in a foreign currency.

Fix the payment currency and rate in the contract in advance.

Pay rent with a receipt or by bank transfer, not in cash with no written record.

Business visitors

On a business trip you often pay expenses with a company card and keep receipts.

A Georgian receipt or invoice sometimes needs translating for accounts.

We help collect and translate receipts.

Groups

In a group everyone keeps their own money and card, and no single person carries everyone's cash.

The group's shared costs are paid directly to partners, by card or transfer.

On arrival day we show the group a reliable office or bank.

Older guests

For older guests, telling new currency and banknotes apart is sometimes tricky.

We look at the colours and sizes of the notes together and explain prices in lari simply.

If you like, we go with you when you change money.

Leftover lari

Before leaving, change leftover lari back at a licensed office in town.

You can also do it at the airport, but the rate is often less favourable.

You can keep a small amount for your next trip or as a souvenir.

Coins

Exchange offices do not change coins back.

In the last days spend coins on small things, coffee or a taxi.

Some guests leave remaining coins in a charity box.

Lari back home

Outside Georgia, changing lari is often difficult or loss-making.

So change your lari before leaving the country.

Some neighbouring countries sometimes accept lari, but do not count on it.

Checking the rate

You can see the National Bank's official rate online, and it serves as a benchmark.

An office's rate differs slightly from the official one, which is normal.

If the difference is very large, look for another office.

What we do not do

We do not change, carry or hold money for you.

We never ask for your card or PIN and do not pay on your behalf.

We never put you in touch with an unofficial money changer.

Common mistakes

Changing the whole sum at the airport.

Choosing your own currency at a terminal instead of lari.

Being tempted by a street changer's better rate.

What we need from you

Which currency and card you are travelling with.

Your route, so we can plan cash needs for the mountains and villages in advance.

Whether you would like us to go with you to an office or bank.

Cost

The office or bank sets the rate and terms, and you change money with them directly.

We take no commission from offices or banks and recommend none in anyone's favour.

Our fee for helping is separate and agreed in advance.