Pharmacies and Medicines in Georgia: Prescriptions and Prices

A headache, a fever, or an upset stomach in your first week in a new country: here is a practical guide for exactly that situation. Where to find a pharmacy at night, what to ask for with common symptoms, what the most popular medicines cost, and what is sold only with a prescription. Prices are from the GPC online store as of September 28, 2026, and in other chains they usually differ by a few lari.

This guide does not replace a doctor: the medicines are listed as a pointer to what to ask for at the pharmacy, and the dosage should always be checked against the leaflet and with the pharmacist.

If You Need a Pharmacy Right Now

The largest chain, PSP, runs 27 24-hour pharmacies across the country. In Tbilisi, those open around the clock include:

• Sololaki, center: 1 Vekua St. (Orbeliani Square)
• Chugureti: 97 Aghmashenebeli Ave.
• Saburtalo: 48 Vazha-Pshavela Ave., 83 Vazha-Pshavela Ave., and 14 Pekini Ave.
• Avlabari and Old Town: 39 Gorgasali St.
• Varketili and Vazisubani: 8 Kaloubani St. and 1 Sandor Petofi St.

In Batumi, PSP pharmacies are open 24 hours at 73 Gorgiladze St., at the corner of 16-18 Baratashvili St. and 1-3 Gorgiladze St., and at 4 Kobaladze St. In Kutaisi, there are ones at 5 Brosse St., 24 Aghmashenebeli Ave., and 56 Chavchavadze Ave. Other chains have 24-hour locations too, so at night the easiest thing is to open a map and filter for pharmacies open now.

If you would rather stay in, medicines can be delivered. PSP delivers within an hour through its website, app, or the short number *2020, GPC and Pharmadepot have their own apps, and Wolt and Glovo, the main apps for food delivery in Georgia, take orders from the big chains. Prescription drugs are delivered only with an electronic prescription.

Pharmacy Chains

The market is dominated by a few large chains, each with hundreds of locations across the country:

• PSP: the market leader, more than 350 pharmacies, used by 74% of shoppers
• Aversi: about 16% of the market, with its own clinics as well
• Pharmadepot (GPC group): about 15% of the market and 1.9 million loyalty cards

Most pharmacists in Tbilisi speak at least some English, and many, especially older ones, speak Russian. In small towns it is easier to show the package or a photo with the name of the active ingredient.

Fever, Headache, and Other Pain

The most common fever reducers and painkillers are sold without a prescription and are inexpensive:

Local generics named after the active ingredient are almost always cheaper than brands: locally made paracetamol and ibuprofen are two to five times cheaper than Panadol and Nurofen. With a toothache, ibuprofen only buys time before a visit to one of the round-the-clock dental clinics in Tbilisi.

Colds, Sore Throat, and Runny Nose

Powders like Theraflu and Coldrex contain the same paracetamol, so they must not be taken together with paracetamol tablets. This is easy to forget when you are ill, and the pharmacist will not always warn you.

Stomach Trouble and Food Poisoning

Unfamiliar rich food and plenty of wine in the first weeks often end in an upset stomach. The main thing with diarrhea and vomiting is to replace fluids, which is what Rehydron is for.

Allergies, Bites, Cuts, and Burns

In spring many people in Tbilisi face a pollen allergy for the first time, and in summer, remedies for bites and sunburn come in handy in the mountains and by the sea.

Antibiotics and What Is Sold Only with a Prescription

Medicines in Georgia fall into three groups:

• Group I: narcotic and strong psychotropic drugs, only with a special prescription
• Group II: prescription drugs, including antibiotics, with a standard electronic prescription
• Group III: over-the-counter drugs, from painkillers to vitamins

Prescriptions in Georgia are electronic and issued by a local doctor after an appointment. A prescription from another country is not valid at the pharmacy, so for a prescription drug you first need to see a doctor in Georgia. Selling prescription drugs without a prescription is prohibited, and the pharmacy faces a fine for it.

With a prescription, antibiotics are inexpensive: Amoxicillin 500 mg, 10 capsules, 3.30 lari, Augmentin 875/125 mg, 14 tablets, 24.73 lari, Azithromycin 500 mg, 3 tablets, 5.50 lari. In practice the prescription rule is not followed everywhere: in a study published in 2024, 23.8% of respondents admitted buying antibiotics without a prescription. But that violates the law, and self-medicating with antibiotics is dangerous in itself.

How to Talk to the Pharmacist

If the pharmacist speaks neither English nor Russian, a few words of Georgian will help:

• Pharmacy: აფთიაქი (aptiaki)
• I have a headache: თავი მტკივა (tavi mtkiva)
• I have a sore throat: ყელი მტკივა (qeli mtkiva)
• I have a stomachache: მუცელი მტკივა (mutseli mtkiva)
• I have a fever: სიცხე მაქვს (sitskhe makvs)
• Prescription: რეცეპტი (retsepti)

The most reliable approach is to show the pharmacist the international name of the active ingredient in Latin letters on your phone: paracetamol, ibuprofen, loratadine. These names are the same in every country.

When You Need a Doctor or 112, Not a Pharmacy

A pharmacy helps with a mild cold, a headache, or indigestion. Call 112 right away or go to an emergency department if:

• you have chest pain, difficulty breathing, or severe shortness of breath
• your face, lips, or throat swell after a bite or a medicine
• an infant has a fever, or a fever above 39°C lasts more than two or three days
• vomiting or diarrhea does not stop for more than a day and signs of dehydration appear
• a dog or other animal has bitten you: a course of rabies shots is needed the same day

An ambulance called through 112 is free, while further treatment at a clinic is paid separately, so keep your policy and passport at hand. Whether insurance covers medicines depends on the plan, and it is worth checking before buying a policy when choosing health insurance in Georgia.

Prices and State Control

Since 2023 the state has set reference prices: a maximum price above which a medicine may not be sold. Price caps now apply to more than 7,500 medicines, and in 2023 alone household spending on medicines fell by about 29%. So even with regular medication, this item remains a small part of overall living expenses in Georgia.

How to Find an Equivalent of Your Medicine

Familiar brands may be sold in Georgia under different names or not sold at all, so it is more reliable to search for a medicine by the international name of the active ingredient, not by brand. Write it down in advance for every drug you take regularly, together with the dosage.

For chronic conditions, bring at least a first month's supply with you and find a doctor right away who can write a local prescription for an equivalent. The same applies to antidepressants: they are sold only with an electronic prescription, which a doctor issues after an in-person or video consultation, and most people go to a psychiatrist in Georgia for it. You can check in advance whether a medicine is available and what it costs in the chains' online stores, which list the country of manufacture and the dosage.

Medicines for Children

Children's prescription drugs are prescribed by a pediatrician, so it pays to find one in advance, before the first cold: it is one of the first steps that make up moving to Georgia with kids.

Bringing Your Own Medicines

Up to 10 packs of ordinary medicines for personal use can be brought in without medical paperwork, and the same limit applies to parcels in Georgia. Strict rules apply to drugs containing narcotic and psychotropic substances: you may bring in no more than a 31-day supply, and only with documents:

• a copy of the prescription translated into English and certified with an apostille
• a certificate from the prescribing doctor stating the diagnosis, the drug name, and the dosage
• an individual customs declaration

Substances on Georgia's prohibited list, such as cannabis-based products, cannot be brought in at all, even with a prescription. Keep the documents for your medicines until the end of your trip: without them, a strong drug in your luggage can lead to detention and a fine.

What to Do Before Moving

• Write down the international names and dosages of all the medicines you take
• Bring at least a first month's supply of your regular medicines
• For strong drugs, get a prescription and a doctor's certificate with a translation and an apostille
• Save the number 112 and the address of the nearest 24-hour pharmacy
• Install the app of one of the chains for medicine delivery
• In the first weeks, find a doctor who can write a local prescription