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- A foreigner buys an apartment on the same basis as a citizen: a written contract and registration at NAPR (₾150, ₾270 or ₾350). Agricultural land is closed, and in a village a “homestead plot” can count as such.
- The market in October 2026: Tbilisi averages $1,348 per m² (TBC Capital, January–July), Batumi $1,865 (Galt & Taggart, 2025); new-build prices in Tbilisi are up 4.9% on the year (Geostat, Q2). In Batumi supply outpaces demand.
- Paperwork is cheap (0.6–1.7% of the price in our calculation, excluding notary, agent and VAT), but a new-build buyer’s protection rests on the contract.
Why buy an apartment in Georgia (the country) and who it suits
The purpose drives the city, the building type, the financing and the taxes. This is a reference, not advice to buy; you need a local lawyer and a check with the official source.
- To live. Israeli citizens enter without a visa for up to a year; Israeli permanent residents without citizenship, 90 days in 180 (Georgian embassy in Israel). Buying gives no right of stay.
- To rent out. Independent estimates of gross yield are 7.2–8.4%, net is noticeably lower; income is not guaranteed.
- To hold capital or get residency: the threshold is above $150,000 by appraisal.
Property in Georgia for foreigners: market and prices in 2026
There is no single official price table, and sources use different methods: do not add the figures together. The Geostat index covers only new housing in Tbilisi and is built from listing prices; TBC Capital and Galt & Taggart describe sales. A listing price is the seller’s ask; the deal price may be lower.
The foreign share varies. In Batumi foreigners made up 52% of apartment sales in the projects covered by the 2025 Galt & Taggart survey (EU and Israeli citizens 13% each, Ukraine, Russia and Belarus together 11%). In the 2026 survey Georgians made up 76% of primary sales in Tbilisi (Israelis 11%, Russians 3%) and 37% in Batumi (Israelis 10%). These are developer surveys, not the registry.
Forecasts are cautious: 5–7% a year (Galt & Taggart), about 3.2% in 2026 (TBC Capital); prices are rising faster than rents (about $10 per m² in Tbilisi, 6% lower year on year).
| Indicator | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tbilisi, sale price | $1,348 per m², January–July 2026, +4% on the year | TBC Capital, SOVA, 7.09.2026 |
| Batumi | $1,865 per m² in 2025 (2024: $1,699); about 12,400 unsold apartments in projects, +14% | Galt & Taggart, Investor.ge |
Apartments for sale in Georgia by city: Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi and the regions
Rules, taxes and the route to residency are the same nationwide; price, liquidity and data quality differ. There is no universally best city; the table uses only figures from our guides and city pages. Apartments for sale are found on listing portals (for example ss.ge) and from developers.
| City | Prices | Gross yield | What matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tbilisi | New builds by district $1,404–2,689 (Geostat, Q3 2026), resale $1,065–2,276 (TBC Capital, March 2026) | 7.23% (Global Property Guide, Q3 2026) or 8.4% (Galt & Taggart, May 2026) | The most liquid market (per our city page); districts differ almost 2x |
| Batumi | Old Batumi $3,146 (primary, Q1 2026), New Boulevard $1,819 | 7.28% (Global Property Guide) or 7.4% for 2025 (Galt & Taggart) | Oversupply, especially in short-term rental |
| Kutaisi | No price statistics; cheaper than the capital | No data | Third city, airport with low-cost flights; check the price yourself |
| Kobuleti, Gudauri | Kobuleti: new builds $1,221 (Q2 2024); Gudauri: $1,417 (Q3 2024) | No data | Old data; Gudauri: season December–April |
New build, resale or an off-plan apartment
“Black”, “white” and “green” frame are market labels, not legal terms: trust only the list of works in the contract.
| Criterion | Resale | Completed new build | Under construction (off-plan) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per m², Tbilisi, February 2026 (Galt & Taggart) | $1,304 (buildings permitted from 2013) | $1,398 for the primary market as a whole | included in the same figure |
| Payment | Transfer | Lump sum or developer instalments | Instalments; agencies cite a 20–30% first payment, SOVA (8.10.2026) also reports offers from 0% |
| Buyer protection | Registry entry, seller check | Defect remedies under the Civil Code (Art. 487–492) | We found no shared-construction law, mandatory escrow or developer guarantee: protection is the contract and a preliminary entry (Art. 12 of the registry law); before commissioning there is only a preliminary contract |
Who can buy, and the limits on land
Foreigners, individuals and companies, buy residential and commercial property and non-agricultural land without permission, residency or reciprocity requirements (Chambers, 2026).
The exception is agricultural land (Constitution, Art. 19(4); Organic Law No. 4848-II of 25.06.2019): a foreign individual receives it only by inheritance. The law also treats a homestead plot as agricultural, so a village house cannot be bought if the plot is recorded that way in the registry. On 13.02.2026 the prime minister announced a planned amendment banning the sale of agricultural land to foreigners; its text and adoption were not confirmed as of 15.10.2026.
Check the category before a deposit with a NAPR certificate on purpose and category: ₾13 for 4 days, ₾26 for 1 day, ₾39 same day. Apartments are not covered by the restriction.
How to buy an apartment in Georgia step by step: timeline and fees
Most of the time goes on checks, not registration; there is no single official timeline for the deal. Without travelling you can buy through a representative under a notarised power of attorney for one apartment, with an apostille and a certified Georgian translation (Russia, Israel and the EU states are parties to the Hague Convention). According to lawyers, since October 2023 a Georgian notary certifies such a deal (primary text not found); a fully online purchase by a foreigner is not confirmed.
| Step | What you do | Time | Fee, ₾ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Checks | Fresh NAPR extract by cadastral code, cadastral plan, restriction certificate, seller check | 1 working day or same day | 13 / 52; 7 / 26; 9 / 18 |
| 2. Deposit | A deposit (“be”) and an advance differ legally: the party in breach loses the deposit or returns double (Civil Code, Art. 421–423). Agencies cite 5–10% on resale, no official figure | by agreement | per contract |
| 3. Contract and payment | Written, at a notary or House of Justice, in Georgian (get a bilingual version); for a building site, preliminary registration (Art. 12); transfer to the contract party | days | notary: no figure |
| 4. Title registration | Filing at NAPR; ownership arises on registration | 4 working days / 1 day / same day | 150 / 270 / 350 |
| 5. After the deal | Extract in your name, bills, HOA; residency if the appraisal clears the threshold | residency: 30 / 20 / 10 days | SDA 300 / 450 / 600 |
- 1
Goal and budget
City, building type, payment; count paperwork costs separately from the price.
- 2
Lawyer and money
A local lawyer; the source of funds clear to the bank; a Georgian account is optional.
- 3
Check the property
A fresh NAPR extract by cadastral code; the seller or developer.
₾13 / ₾52 - 4
Deposit and contract
A written contract at a notary or House of Justice; a preliminary entry for a building site.
- 5
Payment
A bank transfer to the contract party; keep the bank documents.
- 6
Registration at NAPR
Title arises on registration: 4 working days, 1 day or same day.
₾150–350 - 7
After the deal
Extract in your name; taxes; residency if appraised above the threshold, SDA fee ₾300–600.
$150,000
NAPR (tariffs), Law on the Legal Status of Aliens, SDA; October 2026
There is no single official timeline for the whole deal. Notary and agent: no exact figure. A local lawyer is needed.
How much it costs to buy an apartment in Georgia: total expenses
There is no separate purchase tax. The table lists sourced amounts; National Bank rate on 16 October 2026: ₾2.5987 per $1.
Illustration for an apartment priced at 100,000 dollars: the known items add up to roughly $570–1,670, or 0.6–1.7% of the price (lower bound: registration in 4 days, a $500 lawyer, no inspection; upper bound: everything same day, a $1,000 lawyer, a 0.5% inspection). This is our calculation, not a statistic; it leaves out the notary, agent, VAT and bank fees. After purchase: utilities about ₾693–1,865 a year in our illustrations (GNERC tariffs), an HOA fee with no sourced price.
| Item | Amount, ₾ | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Title registration at NAPR | 150 / 270 / 350 (≈$58 / $104 / $135) | NAPR tariff |
| Extract, cadastral plan, restriction certificate | 13–75; 7–26; 9–18; English +26; signature confirmation 7 | NAPR tariff |
| Notary | no exact figure; power of attorney ₾10 per the text of Resolution No. 507 (2011) | not confirmed |
| Lawyer, turnkey | $500–1,000 | estimate on our purchase page |
| Agent commission | often 3%, paid by the seller | ExpatHub, undated; not confirmed |
| Independent inspection of a new build | under 0.5% of the price | L&L Consulting, 2025 |
How to pay: transfers, a mortgage for non-residents, developer instalments
Money. Payment is cashless, to the contract party; a Georgian account is optional, but the bank on either side will ask for the source of funds. From Israel: per the Bank of Israel, currency restrictions on buying property abroad were lifted in 1998; the bank will ask for the purpose, recipient and source of funds, and we could not confirm a reporting threshold. From Russia since 24.07.2026 only bank transfers to an IBAN are available, and not from every bank.
Mortgage. Available to non-residents (TBC, Bank of Georgia, Credo) but on stricter terms. On 26.02.2025 the National Bank raised the maximum LTV for borrowers with income from abroad by 10 percentage points to 80%; we did not check whether it still applies. The down payment is cited at 30–40% (pbservices, 15.09.2026) or at least 40% (ExpatHub, undated): the sources differ. Term up to 20 years, currency usually matching the income; confirm rates with the bank.
Instalments. In the Galt & Taggart survey (November 2025) most primary sales in Tbilisi go through developer instalments; SOVA (8.10.2026) describes a scheme of 2–3 years with refinancing at a bank. This is not a mortgage, and until registration the apartment is not in your name.
- Trap: a loan to an individual from a foreign non-bank lender, secured on Georgian real estate, is generally not possible (Chambers, 2026).
Taxes when buying property in Georgia at every stage
A summary of our tax guides; this is not tax advice. For Israelis: the Israel–Georgia treaty has been in force since 22.11.2011; an Israeli tax resident generally pays tax in Israel on worldwide income, and Georgian tax is credited under Israeli rules (Art. 22 of the treaty). Zero in Georgia does not mean zero in Israel: check forms, rates and the reporting threshold with an accountant in Israel. For other countries it depends on the treaty.
| Stage | What is paid | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase | No transfer or stamp tax; NAPR fee and notary | VAT 18% if the seller is a payer |
| Ownership | Property tax: zero if family income for the previous year is up to ₾100,000; above it 0.8–1% of market value | Law of 30.09.2026; return by 1 November (2 November in 2026), payment by 15 November; the procedure for non-residents is not clarified |
| Rental | 5% of gross income, no expense deduction; short-term by application ₾10 per m² a month until 1.01.2028 (Art. 309) | Confirm the short-let regime with an accountant |
| Sale | 0% if held more than two years; 5% of profit at two years or less; 20% for other assets | Return and payment by the 15th of the month after the sale |
Residency through property: the $150,000 threshold since 1 March 2026
A short-term owner’s residence permit goes to a foreigner who holds title to property (not agricultural land) worth above $150,000 in lari equivalent, and to the spouse and children (Law on the Legal Status of Aliens, Art. 15(j); SDA). It is not citizenship.
- Value is set by a certified appraiser of an accredited body, not by the contract price; exactly $150,000 is not enough.
- SDA fee: ₾300, ₾450 or ₾600 for 30, 20 or 10 calendar days. The permit is for a year, renewed, up to 12 years in all; no new appraisal while the property is yours. Selling the property ends the permit.
- Not confirmed: adding several properties together, counting an apartment under construction, transitional rules for those who bought before 1.03.2026. Get a written answer from SDA before buying.
Risks and red flags when buying an apartment in Georgia
Red flags: a price well below the market and pressure to “buy today”; a deposit before the extract; a seller who is not the owner; payment to a personal card; “we will lift the arrest after payment”; a developer who will not show the permit and the plot extract.
- A forged power of attorney or a seller who is not the owner: a clean extract will not show it.
- A bank mortgage on the developer’s land: if it defaults the apartment can go to auction; we found no shared-construction law or mandatory escrow.
- Late handover: there is no statutory penalty, and without a sum in the contract only proven losses are recoverable.
- “Guaranteed yield” is one company’s promise, not a statistic. Rules change: the residency threshold rose on 1.03.2026, property tax was changed on 30.09.2026.
Checklist for buying an apartment in Georgia
- Define the goal (live, rent, residency) and a budget with a margin for expenses.
- Hire a local lawyer and check them in the Georgian Bar Association register (gba.ge).
- Order a fresh NAPR extract by cadastral code: owner, shares, mortgage, lease, arrest, address, area. Prepare the source of funds for the bank.
- Check the seller (passport, power of attorney, spouse’s consent) or the developer (company and plot extracts, permit).
- For residency get an appraisal and an SDA answer; for a village house check the land category.
- In the contract: list of works, payment schedule, penalty, right to terminate, language. Pay only to the contract party’s account.
- After registration order an extract in your name and note the start date of the two-year period for the sale tax.
Common buyer mistakes
- Paying a deposit before the extract and the seller check.
- Relying on residency by purchase price rather than appraisal, or on an outdated threshold.
- Buying a village house without checking the land category.
How to decide: a neutral framework
The framework does not recommend buying; it shows what to look at. Stop if the answer to any question is “I do not know”: is there a fresh extract, where will the money come from, what is the total of all expenses, are there written answers on residency and taxes.
| Goal | What to look at | What could stop you |
|---|---|---|
| Live there yourself | Metro or car, schools, condition of the building | The commute without a car, winter bills |
| Rent out | Rent of the specific building, tax, house rules, occupancy | Rent growing slower than prices, occupancy estimates of 22% to 65% |
| Get residency | Appraisal above $150,000, title, a single property | Unconfirmed questions: adding properties, new builds |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I buy an apartment in Georgia as a foreigner?
Check the property with a NAPR extract, sign a written contract at a notary or House of Justice, transfer the money to the contract party and register the title (₾150–350). Ownership arises on registration.
Can a foreigner buy property in Georgia?
Yes: apartments, houses and non-agricultural plots on the same basis as citizens. Agricultural land, including a homestead plot, is available to a foreign individual only by inheritance.
How much does an apartment in Georgia cost?
Tbilisi: on average $1,348 per m² (TBC Capital, January–July 2026); new builds by district $1,404–2,689 (Geostat, Q3 2026). Batumi: $1,865 on average for 2025 (Galt & Taggart).
How much does it cost to complete a purchase in Georgia?
Registration ₾150–350, an extract from ₾13, a lawyer usually $500–1,000; the notary and agent have no confirmed figure. In our example the known items come to 0.6–1.7% of the price.
Do I need to travel to Georgia to buy an apartment?
No, you can use a representative under a notarised power of attorney with an apostille and a Georgian translation. A fully online purchase by a foreigner is not officially confirmed.
What taxes apply when buying and selling an apartment in Georgia?
No purchase tax apart from 18% VAT when the seller is a payer. On sale, 0% after two years, 5% of profit earlier. Rent: 5% of gross income.
Do banks in Georgia give mortgages to foreigners?
Yes, but on stricter terms: banks check the source of income, the down payment is cited at 30–40% or more, and sources differ. The alternative is developer instalments.
Does buying an apartment give residency in Georgia?
Yes, if the appraised value is above $150,000 (since 1 March 2026): a short-term permit for the owner, spouse and children. It is not citizenship, and selling the property ends it.
Sources: NAPR: fees for registering rights to real estate · NAPR: information service fees · Law on the Public Registry (matsne.gov.ge) · Civil Code of Georgia (matsne.gov.ge) · Tax Code of Georgia (matsne.gov.ge) · Law on the Legal Status of Aliens (matsne.gov.ge) · SDA: short-term residence permit for a property owner · Organic Law on Agricultural Land No. 4848-II (matsne.gov.ge) · National Bank of Georgia: Financial Stability Committee decision, 26.02.2025 · Geostat: Residential Property Price Index, Q2 2026 · SOVA: TBC Capital, Tbilisi market, January–July 2026 (7.09.2026) · SOVA: mortgages, instalments and new rules (8.10.2026) · Investor.ge: Galt & Taggart, Batumi housing (20.04.2026) · Trend: Galt & Taggart on demand and buyers (3.08.2026) · Georgia Today: Galt & Taggart, Tbilisi, February 2026 · GBC: TBC Capital, Tbilisi prices by district, October 2025 · Global Property Guide: gross rental yields in Georgia · Global Property Guide: Georgia house prices and forecasts · Chambers: Real Estate 2026, Georgia · PwC Tax Summaries: Georgia, individual income (2.09.2026) · pbservices: mortgage in Georgia (15.09.2026, secondary source) · ExpatHub: buying property, FAQ (secondary source) · Embassy of Georgia in Israel: visa-free entry · Ministry of Finance of Georgia: double tax treaty with Israel · Geostat: Residential Property Price Index, Q3 2026 (PDF) · TBC Capital: Tbilisi residential market monthly watch, March 2026 (PDF)