Before you visit a particular country, you need to collect as much information about it as possible. This also applies to the topic of money in Georgia. On the eve of a trip to any of the countries, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the situation with the exchange of funds, their exchange rates, as well as with the prices of housing and food.
So, we will not talk so much about money, but about the Georgian currency, as well as about all the features of its exchange in this country.
Exchange rates of lari to other currencies today
In Georgia, the national currency is the lari. The nominal value of funds consists of: 1 and 2 lari (coins), as well as 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 – bills. The lari is also divided into 100 Tetri.
Banknotes from 20 to 100 lari were issued relatively recently – in 2016. The government of the country plans to reissue banknotes in denominations of 5 and 10 lari. This is necessary to improve the protection of banknotes, as well as to improve their definition by visually impaired people. The design cuts deals designer Bacho of Malesani, a native of Georgia.
For reference. Since 1995, financial transactions in the country are conducted only using the national currency.
This currency takes its name from the ancient Georgian language and means “heritage”, “property”.
In Georgia, you can Deposit the currency of other countries in banks and exchange offices and get local lari. You will not be lost if you have the Euro, as well as the us dollar. Therefore, you should stock up on this currency during your trip. It is less profitable to exchange rubles, crowns and money from other countries. You should make an exchange exclusively in banks, because this is the safest option.
In Georgia you can track the following correlation: the larger the city, than the greater the number of exchange offices and Bank branches can be found. Therefore, if you are going to travel in sparsely populated areas, far from large cities, you should exchange currency before leaving the airport or train station
A passport is not required for conducting currency exchange operations almost everywhere. However, in some places this requirement is mandatory.
There are many banks and exchange offices located in the capital of Georgia. Most of them are concentrated on major transport hubs, as well as in shopping centers. At the same time, the exchange rate across the capital does not differ much. For example, 100 will be only from 1 to 2 lari, so you can change the currency in any convenient place for You.
In some exchange offices, although there are few of them, currency exchange is carried out with a Commission. This could be an unexpected nuisance. Therefore, look carefully at the signs and check with the cashier the terms of the exchange before it is made.
As mentioned earlier, the safest place to change money is the Bank. The most common Bank in the country is Bank of Georgia and TBC Bank. You can buy gel from 9 to 18, during working hours of most banks. It is not uncommon to find exchange offices that work around the clock.
A distinctive feature of exchanges in Georgia is their unsightly appearance. However, there is no need to be afraid of making an exchange in them.
Many people go on vacation, preferring not to take a large amount of cash with them, but to store it on a plastic card that can be used at ATMs in any country. There will be no problems with cashing out money, since most ATMs have pre-installed languages, including Russian and English. For example, you can see the GEL option in the ATM menu – this means that you can withdraw local currency there. It is worth remembering that the country’s banks charge a Commission for withdrawals, the value of which is on average 2% of the amount, depending on the Bank.
You can also pay with plastic cards in many establishments in Tbilisi. However, even in the capital, there are places where they are not accepted, and the payment is made exclusively for cash. When visiting restaurants, cafes and large stores, you can not think about this problem. But in the markets, as well as in stalls, Your card may not be accepted. In view of this, you should always have a small amount of cash with you.
The best choice is to take euros or dollars. They can be easily exchanged at any currency exchange or Bank in the country. If we are talking about what is more profitable to carry, then the exchange rate contributes here. You need to analyze it before leaving, since the course can constantly change.
To calculate the exchange rate, it is possible to compare the ruble to lari and the dollar to Georgian lari. Let’s imagine a situation: you need to exchange 10,000 rubles. If you change them to gel at the exchange rate of 22 rubles for 1 gel, the amount will be 454 gel. In that case, if you first exchange ten thousand rubles for a dollar (at the rate of 62 p per dollar, you will get 162 USD), and then change the received amount to gel, you will get 433 gel. As you can see, this manipulation is unprofitable. You should always remember that the rates fluctuate all the time.
You can carry an unlimited amount of money in different currencies to Georgia. However, it is not superfluous to declare funds if their size exceeds the equivalent of 2 thousand USD. You can also reserve national currency in advance, but no more than 25,000 lari. You can export gel, but no more than 3 thousand.
There is no definite answer to this question. Each for himself determines the amount of money you need to take on the road. In order to determine this amount approximately, you need to make a relative vacation plan.
Spending on housing is a mandatory category that determines the amount of money allocated for the trip. This point must be determined before the trip and choose a place to stay. Prices per night will depend on the place of residence. The lowest amount will be in hostels, and it starts from 20 gel per person per day. To rent an apartment in the capital, you will need about 100-150 gel for one day.
The second significant item of expenditure is food. In the case where the cost of accommodation does not include a daily diet, then the expenditure on food is strictly individual. Food expenses start from 40 gel per person per day.
In addition to its resorts, Georgia is famous for its excellent wine, so without this category of embezzlement will not do. Prices for good table wine Saperavi start from 10 lari per liter. Also, do not be afraid to buy draught wine. In most cases, it is even better than bottled. In addition, you can always try this wine before you buy it, and it is almost everywhere for free.
Transportation and entertainment expenses. If the holiday program includes a tour, perhaps even free of charge (such will be, if compiled independently), then the cost of transport can not be avoided. The fare will depend on the city and the distance to be covered. In addition to taxis and sightseeing tours, you can use the railway. You can always find train schedules and routes on the website www.railway.ge. You can also use taxis and buses, which are abundant in Georgia.
The standard taxi fare from the airport to the capital of Georgia will be 25 gel. In the city itself, the cost is equal to an average of 3-4 gel.
It can be very convenient to take a little more than the estimated amount before the trip, because there can always be unforeseen situations.
So, calculating all these items of expenditure, it all comes down to the fact that the minimum amount should be from 300 to 500 USD per person, for a week’s stay.
Tip: in Georgia, it is not just possible, but necessary to bargain. That’s the way it is here. It is clear that this will not always be appropriate, for example, in a hotel or shopping center. However, knowing this feature of the Georgian mentality, you can save money. Don’t be shy about doing this.
Georgia is Sunny and rich in sights, where there are beautiful views and interesting leisure. Therefore, having prepared for your vacation in advance, you can relax well and take away not only Souvenirs, but also pleasant memories.