Money in Georgia: Currency Exchange, Cards, ATMs and Transfers

In Georgia you pay only in lari, but dollars, euros and pounds lose almost nothing on exchange: the gap between the buy and sell rates at city exchange offices stays under 1%. Visa and Mastercard issued in the US, the UK, Ireland, Canada or Australia work almost everywhere, while American Express is accepted far less widely, so bring a backup card.

Currency and exchange rate

The currency of Georgia is the lari, and one lari has 100 tetri. Banknotes come in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 lari, and coins run from 5 tetri to 2 lari.

The official rates of the National Bank of Georgia on October 1, 2026 were:

• 1 US dollar: 2.60 lari
• 1 euro: 2.96 lari
• 1 British pound: 3.46 lari
• 1 lari: about 38 US cents or 34 euro cents

The lari has gained against the dollar so far in 2026, so the old rule of thumb of 2.7 lari per dollar no longer holds. The National Bank publishes the current rate on nbg.gov.ge, and banking apps show it as well.

Can you pay in dollars

By law the lari is the only legal tender in the country. The exceptions are limited to duty-free shops and free industrial zones. Cafes, stores and taxis will not take dollars, and a seller who accepts foreign currency risks a fine.

In practice, the rule bends in one common case, renting an apartment in Georgia. Landlords almost always quote the price in dollars, and many of them take cash dollars. Formally the payment should go through in lari, so write the amount and the currency into the lease and get a receipt for every payment.

Where to exchange money

City exchange offices give the best rates. Central Tbilisi has dozens of them, especially around Freedom Square, along Rustaveli Avenue and near the Dezerter Bazaar. The airport rate is 5-8% worse, so exchange or withdraw only 50-100 lari there for the ride into Tbilisi and your first expenses.

The gap between the buy and sell rates shows which currency is worth bringing. Here is what the large exchange chain Rico Credit offered on October 1, 2026:

US dollars, euros and pounds lose almost nothing, while the other currencies in the table lose noticeably more. Canadian dollars lose about 3.9% at Rico Credit, and Australian dollars are harder still to exchange: Rico does not take them at all, and at Bank of Georgia branches the gap between the buy and sell rates reaches about 11%. If you have a choice, bring US dollars, euros or pounds.

For small amounts exchange offices do not ask for a passport. The law requires identification for a single transaction above 15,000 lari. A bank asks for your passport with every exchange.

How to avoid losing money on exchange:

• Look at the "buy" column (ყიდვა in Georgian): that is the rate at which the office buys your currency.
• The big numbers on the board sometimes apply only to amounts of $1,000 or more, and a commission may be hidden in the small print. Before you hand over the money, ask how many lari you will get.
• Ask for a receipt: the office must issue one and must display its rates and commission in plain view.
• Count the money before you step away from the window.

Which cards work

Visa and Mastercard from foreign banks are accepted almost everywhere in the cities, from stores and malls in Georgia to cafes, pharmacies, gas stations and public transport. Contactless payment, Apple Pay and Google Pay all work. American Express is taken mainly by hotels and upscale restaurants.

Cards issued in the US, the UK, Ireland, Canada or Australia work like any other foreign Visa or Mastercard, both in terminals and at ATMs. American Express is the weak spot: for years only Bank of Georgia accepted it, and other banks have been able to join its network only since July 2025. If Amex is your main card, keep a Visa or Mastercard with you as well.

You need cash at markets, on intercity minibuses (marshrutkas), in village guesthouses and at street kiosks. A taxi in Georgia takes both cards and cash if you order it through Bolt, Yandex Go or another app.

If a terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency instead of lari, decline. This conversion on the spot costs 3-5% more than conversion at your own bank's rate.

ATMs

There are ATMs on every corner, and almost all of them accept foreign Visa and Mastercard. The Georgian bank's fee appears on the screen before you confirm, so you can still cancel the withdrawal.

A single withdrawal usually gives you 500-2,000 lari, and the limit depends on the bank and the specific machine. Your own bank will also add its fee for using an ATM in Georgia, so it pays to take out cash less often and in larger amounts.

Some ATMs dispense dollars, and a few dispense euros, but they charge a separate fee for it. If the money is for spending in Georgia, withdraw lari.

Transfers from the US

In August 2026 the US sent more money to Georgia than any other country, $64.1 million according to National Bank of Georgia data. Wise converts dollars into lari and pays them into your account at a Georgian bank, and a wire from your US bank travels by SWIFT.

Remitly pays out through Bank of Georgia, TBC, Liberty, Credo and Terabank, either to an account or in cash. Before you send, compare how many lari each option delivers, because the fees and the exchange rate differ.

Transfers from the UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia

From the UK and Ireland the options are the same as from the US: a bank transfer by SWIFT, or Wise, which delivers lari straight to a Georgian IBAN. From Canada and Australia Wise converts Canadian or Australian dollars into lari and pays them into a Georgian IBAN, and Remitly pays out to a bank account or in cash.

Western Union, MoneyGram and Ria also deliver money to Georgia, and the recipient collects it at a branch of a Georgian bank. Fees depend on the amount and the country, so compare the final amount in lari on the service's website before you send.

SWIFT and Wise: fees and timing

Georgia is not part of the SEPA zone, so euros from the European Union arrive the same way as dollars and pounds, as a regular international SWIFT transfer in 1-5 business days. An incoming SWIFT transfer at Bank of Georgia costs 0.2%, with a $15 minimum, plus whatever the sending bank charges.

Wise usually works out cheaper and faster: it pays lari directly into a Georgian bank account by IBAN, and most transfers arrive the same day. Revolut works as an account outside Georgia, but you cannot open one with a Georgian address.

How to receive a transfer

The simplest way is to receive money into your own bank account in Georgia. In the TBC app you can credit a Western Union, MoneyGram or Ria transfer using its reference code, without a trip to a branch.

Cash pickup works at branches of TBC, Bank of Georgia, Liberty Bank and other banks. You need your passport, the transfer code, the sender's name and the amount. The payout comes in lari, dollars or euros, depending on the transfer system.

Cash at the border

You can bring in and take out any amount, but cash above 30,000 lari (about $11,500) must be declared at customs, both on entry and on exit. The rule covers foreign currency, lari and traveler's checks.

Undeclared money can be confiscated, and such cases do happen, for example at the Sarpi crossing on the Turkish border. The rule is easy to break by accident if you carry cash to buy an apartment or a car.

Tipping

Restaurants often add a 10-15% service charge to the bill, in which case no extra tip is needed. If there is no service charge, people leave about 10%.

In cafes and bars people simply round up. Tipping in taxis is optional, and in Bolt you can add a tip in the app within 15 minutes of the ride.

How much money to bring

The most convenient setup is to keep most of your money on a card from your home bank and carry a reserve of cash dollars or euros in case the card gets blocked. Before the trip, tell your bank you will be traveling to Georgia.

Someone who arrives without an income already in place should have $3,000 to $7,000 at the start. A relocation budget for Georgia covers the apartment deposit, the agent's fee and a cushion of at least three months' expenses.

In short

• You pay only in lari, at about 2.6 lari per dollar and 2.96 lari per euro.
• Bring dollars, euros or pounds and exchange them in the city, not at the airport.
• Visa and Mastercard from the US, the UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia work almost everywhere, but if you use American Express, carry a backup card.
• At terminals and ATMs choose to be charged in lari.
• Wise delivers lari to a Georgian IBAN, usually the same day, while a bank wire by SWIFT takes 1-5 business days.
• Declare cash above 30,000 lari at the border.