We arrived to Tbilisi, Georgia in March 2020 with the intention of staying for about two weeks. Shortly after we arrived, the government made the resolute decision to close the borders and halt international flights. So, thanks to a worldwide pandemic, our two weeks in Tbilisi turned into nearly six months. As we were nearing the end of our year-long global adventure, money was beginning to dry up. Luckily for us, Tbilisi is a place with plenty of cheap things to eat and a myriad of ways to entertain ourselves on a budget.
Unable to return home and slide our way back into the American job market, we turned to freelance writing. We made a profile on Fiverr and it didn’t take long for the gigs to start coming in. As the name of the site suggests, we were making $5 at a time. Earning money in such small increments made us start thinking about what we could buy in Tbilisi for $5 (equivalent to 15 lari – the local currency). Here is a brief breakdown of what we were able to afford with just $5 in Tbilisi.
Entertainment
Georgia is country that we fell in love with almost immediately during our first visit. Aside from its natural beauty, it is a place where you can experience things that you might not be able to afford in your home country. Some of which are more than $5 dollars but still considerably cheaper than in the States.
Football Match
For less than a bag of popcorn at any American stadium you can spend an evening watching Tbilisi’s professional soccer team play live. Entrance to the Dinamo stadium is one of two prices ($2/$4) depending on your seating area. However, due to low attendance at these games, regardless of what ticket you get you will most likely end up in the same section. For less than one additional lari, you can buy a bag of sunflower seeds and snack like the locals do.
Day at the Reservoir
Summer in Tbilisi is H-O-T! Some days we just wanted to park ourselves in front of our aircon, but when we were feeling up for more adventure, we headed towards the Tbilisi Reservoir to cool off with a swim in the water. It is located on the outskirts of the city but is easily accessible from downtown. Lounge chairs are available for rent on the “beach” for just 4 lari. There is also a small beach bar selling beer for just a few lari per can. If you want to make the outing an even cheaper thing to do, pack a picnic and bring your own beer from the shops in Tbilisi.
When you visit the reservoir, combine it with a stop by The Chronicle of Georgia. We had our cab driver drop us off here and then walked the few minutes down the hill to go swimming. This is an attraction that doesn’t seem to get too much attention, but its magnificent size and resemblance to Stonehenge is rather intriguing!
Ferris Wheel at Mtatsminda Park
After you make your way to this quirky little amusement park overlooking Tbilisi, take a ride on the park’s Ferris wheel for an even better view. It stands 62 meters tall and at night it offers panoramic views of the illuminated city beneath. The ride lasts about 10 min and cost 5 lari.
Local Sulfur Bath
Most bathhouses in Tbilisi have eliminated the communal baths although there are still a couple remaining in the city. At Bathhouse No. 5 you can pay just 3 lari per hour for a gender segregated public bath experience. If you would rather indulge in a small private room, expect to pay 50 lari and up. If you get together with a group of friends and split the cost, it’s a budget friendly way to enjoy one of the larger, more lavish rooms.
Theater
A night at the Opera will cost you more than $5 but it’s still worth a mention. For just 2 Fiverr gigs ($10), you can sit center stage, second mezzanine and watch all of the drama unfold. Directly behind the Opera house is an 8000 Vintages location where you can sip on a bottle of sparkling wine before the show for as low as $3.
Feeding the Stray Animals
It won’t be long after you land in Tbilisi before you begin to notice the dense population of street animals throughout the city. Almost all of the animals, dogs especially, are very friendly; So much so that they earned the nickname “the darlings of Tbilisi”. No matter where we were walking, we always seemed to pick up a friend or two for a few blocks. One of our favorite activities was to purchase a few packs of cat or dog food and feed our furry friends on the street. You’ll always encounter a hungry cat or dog who will be grateful for your generosity. You can find packets of food at any of the local grocery shops for just a couple of lari each.
Groceries
Finding trusted neighborhood stands and stores will always be your best bet when shopping for produce and everyday essentials. There are major retailers such as Carrefour and Goodwill that carry everything under one roof but you might pay a premium and they aren’t nearly as personable. We had a rotation of about five stands or shops that we would frequent to do our shopping. Listed below are some of the prices for our regular purchases.
Local bread – 1 lari (.33 USD)
Small bag of assorted produce – 5 lari (1.63 USD)
Local wine – 1 liter – 4 lari (1.31 USD)
Local draft beer from beer stall – 1 liter – 3 lari (.98 USD)
Roll of toilet paper – 1 lari (.33 USD)
Dining Out
Eating at restaurants on a budget can be difficult, but in Georgia it is very feasible if you know where to go and what to order. There are plenty of cheap options in Tbilisi, especially when it comes to the street foods. Most of what you’ll find is bread products such as the local staples of lobiani (bean filled) and khachapuri (cheese filled). Expect to pay anywhere from 1 lari to 5 lari depending on the location. We loved picking up a baked good during our afternoon walks around the city – another way to enjoy the day without spending much money.
If you don’t get drawn into the touristic restaurants, there are also places to sit down for a cheap meal in Tbilisi. For example, one night we went out for dinner and drinks at Kazbegi Brewery with another couple. Between the four of us, we consumed 15 beers, a plate of sausages, a serving of fried fish, a whole smoked fish and some french fries. Our bill for all this came to $5 per person including service charge. As a side note, there are no English menus at this restaurant, so be ready to use Google translate or just point to the food on other tables.
One of the cheapest items that you can eat in Tbilisi are the khinkali dumplings. The traditional filling is meat, but other varieties include cheese, potato, and mushroom. We have found them on local restaurant menus as cheap as .6 lari each. Even at higher end restaurants, they are usually no more than 1 lari per dumpling. It’s a good way to fill up your belly without breaking the bank.
Transportation
There are plenty of cheap options when it comes to getting around Tbilisi. Many of the following budget friendly options will get you to almost every corner of the country for less than 15 lari (5 USD).
Tbilisi Metro
Take a ride on the Tbilisi metro for a meager .5 lari per trip. The metro covers the majority of Tbilisi, quickly taking you from downtown to the neighborhood of Saburtalo and across the river near the Chronicle of Georgia. To get even closer to your destination, consider hopping on the city bus which also costs just .5 lari per ride.
Cable Car & Funicular
There are 2 cable cars in Tbilisi and a couple more throughout the country to assist you in getting to higher ground. They are inexpensive and can save you tons of walking time while offering unobstructed views. The cost to ride is 1 lari each way. The cable car we used most often ran between Vake Park and Turtle Lake. We spent plenty of afternoons walking around both of them. As you can see in the photo below, you can even bring your bike with you when riding the cable car.
The Funicular is located across from Vilnius square and is easily reachable from both the Rustaveli & Freedom Square metro stop. The ride lasts about 10 min with a stop in the middle where you can get out and visit the Mtsaminda Pantheon (burial site of famous artists and heroes). Once you arrive at the top you’ll be in Mtatsminda park.
Bolt
Before arriving to Tbilisi we encourage you to download the Bolt app and save yourself a ton of money. If a taxi driver pegs you as a tourist they will likely charge you a very exaggerated price. By using Bolt, the price of the trip is based on distance and other pre-determined justifications like peak times, taking the negotiations out of the equation. Our first taxi ride from the airport was waaay overpriced but once we downloaded Bolt we could order our ride and not worry about exorbitant pricing.
From downtown Tbilisi, the Jvari Monastery is an easy day trip. If you travel by Bolt, The cost will be around 18 lari (5.88 USD) a little over $5. If you’re in Tbilisi for more than a few days, we recommend spending a few hours to get out of the city. It’s very peaceful!
Marshrutka
While these mini buses can be cramped, stuffy, and sometimes only leave once they are full, they are the cheapest option to travel long distances not reachable by train. It’s also a very quintessential Georgian experience! Once you have reached the central hub from which ever city you are departing, finding the right bus is easy. These buses are independently operated and you will either pay at a ticket window or directly to the driver. Beware that without speaking Georgian some drivers will try to charge you an inflated price, even if the pricing chart is clearly posted. We had the best luck paying directly at the windows. Pricing varies on destination, but for example, a trip from Tbilisi to the mountainous region Kazbegi will cost around 15 lari. The trip is 163km and on a good day it takes 3.5 hours.
After we realized how cheap and easy it was to move around the country by Marshrutka, we were kicking ourselves for not taking advantage of them much sooner. There are a couple of different stations around Tbilisi that these buses depart from, depending on where you are going. So be sure to double check which bus station you should use for your destination.
Train
Georgia has two types of trains that travel around the country. There are the new modern Swiss trains that let you travel in comfort and have different levels of seat classes. Additionally, there are the older Soviet-era trains that travel to more remote destinations. The older cars may be a little grittier and may not be as comfortable, but they do travel through some of the most gorgeous countryside Georgia has to offer. Plus, they are slightly cheaper than the modern trains. A “Day Couch” ticket on one of these trains from Tbilisi to Kutaisi (230 km away) will set you back 9 lari (3 USD). For comparison, a ticket on the modern Swiss train to the coast of Batumi cost 25 lari (8 USD).
Final Thoughts
Being stuck in any country is obviously not ideal and can actually be a particularly scary situation. We, however, were extremely fortunate to be in Georgia when the world started to close its doors. A lack of income while abroad can be very stressful no matter where you are, but being in Tbilisi where living can be both cheap and entertaining made our situation just a little bit easier. We have no doubt that if you’re travelling on a budget, Tbilisi will be a place cheap enough to keep your wallet happy and varied enough so you’ll never be bored.
Cheers friends,
Matt & Megan
