Everyday Essentials in Georgia: Setting Up Daily Life

In this section

Banking in Georgia: a guide for foreigners Foreigners can open accounts at major Georgian banks such as Bank of Georgia, TBC and Liberty. Requirements, documents and remote options vary by bank and residency status.
Banks in Georgia: Full List of Licensed Banks and What They Offer (2026) The National Bank of Georgia licenses 17 commercial banks. The market is dominated by two universal banks — Bank of Georgia and TBC — with Liberty Bank holding the widest branch network; alongside them are foreign-group banks (ProCredit, Ziraat, Isbank, Halyk, PASHA, Basisbank), the microfinance-origin Credo Bank, and three new digital banks (Paysera, Hash, Pave). This page lists every licensed bank with a short profile and the products it offers.
Getting a Personal Number & Tax ID in Georgia Foreign residents receive an 11-digit personal number with their Georgian ID card, which requires a residence permit and is issued by the Public Service Development Agency. Foreigners without residence can instead get a 9-digit tax identification number (TIN) from the Revenue Service — no residence permit needed.
Mobile & Internet in Georgia Georgia has cheap, fast and widely available connectivity. Three main operators — Magti, Silknet and Cellfie — sell prepaid SIMs on a passport, mobile data is inexpensive, and home fibre internet is common in cities. A Georgian number is more than a convenience: government and banking services authenticate by SMS code sent to a local number, so it gates the Revenue Service portal, the Public Service Hall and your bank account — which matters if you registered a business remotely.
Driving in Georgia: Licences & Car Registration for Foreigners Foreigners may drive in Georgia on a valid foreign licence for up to one year after their last entry, and can exchange it for a Georgian licence without retaking the driving test. A foreign-plated car can be used for 90 days before customs clearance, and all foreign vehicles must carry compulsory MTPL insurance.
Cost of Living in Georgia (2026) Georgia is inexpensive by European standards. In Tbilisi, a single person typically budgets around USD 900–1,200 a month with rent, a couple around USD 1,300–1,800, and a family with one child around USD 1,650–2,500. Rent is the largest expense, with central Tbilisi and the Batumi seafront the priciest; food, transport and utilities are modest.
Bringing Pets to Georgia: Import Rules for Cats & Dogs (2026) You may bring cats, dogs and ferrets into Georgia as a non-commercial movement if each animal is identified by an ISO microchip, has a valid rabies vaccination and rabies antibody titration test, has been treated against parasites, and travels with a completed veterinary Health Certificate (an EU pet passport or equivalent is accepted). Up to five animals may accompany one owner. The rules are set by Government Resolution No 551 (2018) and enforced at the border by the Revenue Service, under the veterinary control of the National Food Agency.
Importing & Registering a Car in Georgia (2026) Importing a car into Georgia means clearing it through customs with the Revenue Service — paying import duty, excise and VAT — and then registering it and getting Georgian plates at the Service Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Marriage & Birth Registration in Georgia How marriages and births are registered in Georgia through the Public Service Development Agency (PSDA) and Public Service Hall. A marriage can be registered between two foreign nationals as well as between a foreigner and a Georgian citizen: the couple file a joint application, present identity documents and — for anyone previously married — proof that the earlier marriage ended, and two adult witnesses attend. Marriage is permitted from age 18, and registration at a PSDA office or Public Service Hall branch is free of charge (special ceremony services are extra). A birth in Georgia is subject to compulsory registration: the maternity institution notifies the PSDA electronically, the birth is registered no later than the next working day, and the birth certificate is issued free. Birth in Georgia does not by itself grant Georgian citizenship — citizenship follows mainly from having a Georgian-citizen parent (jus sanguinis), with only limited exceptions. Foreign documents generally need an apostille or legalisation and a notarised Georgian translation. This page is general information, not legal advice; confirm current requirements with the Public Service Hall or the PSDA (Civil Registry).
Learning Georgian: Language & Integration An orientation to the Georgian language for people settling in Georgia. Georgian (kartuli) is the state language and is written in its own 33-letter Mkhedruli alphabet, with no capital letters and a close match between letters and sounds. Most day-to-day life in Tbilisi and Batumi is possible with English and Russian, but Georgian matters for deeper integration and is a formal requirement for naturalisation, where applicants must pass a state-run test on the Georgian language (alongside history and the basics of law).
Public Holidays in Georgia (2026) Georgia has 14 fixed public holidays plus a four-day Easter block, set by Article 30 of the Labour Code — 18 days in a typical year. Fourteen fall on the same date every year, from New Year on 1–2 January to St George's Day on 23 November; the Easter block moves with the Orthodox calendar, falling on 10–13 April in 2026 and 30 April–3 May in 2027. Because Easter moves it can collide with a fixed holiday, as in 2029, when the count drops to 17. Banks, government offices and most businesses close. An employee may ask to take other rest days instead, if the employment agreement says so, and the Government may declare further days off by ordinance. A subscribable calendar feed and JSON API are on the Georgian Holiday Calendar page.

Once you have somewhere to live, a handful of practical steps get daily life running: connectivity, a bank account, your personal number and tax ID, driving, and a sense of the cost of living. Most can be done in your first weeks, roughly in this order.

Throughout: budget for a low cost of living A single person typically budgets around USD 700–1,200 a month including rent. Order is a guide, not a rule — a bank may ask for your personal number, and vice versa.

The essentials, step by step

Mobile & Internet in Georgia — prepaid SIMs from Magti, Silknet and Cellfie, and home internet.
Banking in Georgia — opening an account at the major banks, documents and remote options.
Getting a Personal Number & Tax ID — the 11-digit personal number that comes with your Georgian ID and residence permit.
Driving in Georgia — driving on a foreign licence, exchanging it, and registering a car.
Cost of Living in Georgia — realistic monthly budgets for singles, couples and families.
Public Holidays in Georgia — the 18 statutory days, the moveable Orthodox Easter block, and what actually closes.

Frequently asked questions

What should I set up first when I arrive in Georgia?

A local SIM and internet are the quickest wins, then a bank account. Your personal number and Georgian ID come with a residence permit, and you can drive on a valid foreign licence for up to a year while you settle in. Each of these has a detailed guide below.

Can I open a bank account as a foreigner?

Yes. Major banks such as Bank of Georgia, TBC and Liberty open accounts for foreigners, though required documents and remote options vary by bank and change over time. See the Banking guide for current requirements.

How do I get a personal number and tax ID?

Foreign residents receive an 11-digit personal number with their Georgian ID card, which requires a residence permit and is issued by the Public Service Hall. The Personal Number & Tax ID guide walks through the process.

Can I drive in Georgia on my foreign licence?

Foreigners may drive on a valid foreign licence for up to one year after their last entry, and can exchange it for a Georgian licence. The Driving guide covers licences and car registration.

How much does it cost to live in Georgia?

Georgia is inexpensive by European standards — a single person typically budgets around USD 700–1,200 a month including rent. The Cost of Living guide breaks the numbers down.

Sources

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