Renting as a foreigner — what to expect

Renting an apartment in Georgia is generally fast and informal compared with much of Europe. There is no residency requirement to sign a lease, landlords are used to dealing with foreigners — especially in Tbilisi and Batumi — and you can usually move in within days of agreeing terms. That speed is convenient, but it cuts both ways: the same informality that lets you settle quickly also means fewer of the protections a renter might take for granted back home. Much depends on the individual landlord and on getting the right things in writing.

As a foreigner you should expect a few specific frictions: leases are often drafted in Georgian, payments are sometimes quoted in US dollars, and standards around deposits and condition reports vary widely from one owner to the next. None of this is a reason to worry — but it is a reason to slow down at the signing stage and treat the contract seriously. Before you start viewing, it is worth knowing roughly what rent and living costs actually run in 2026 so you can judge whether an asking price is fair.

Where to look

There are three main ways foreigners find apartments in Georgia, and most people end up using a combination of them:

• Real-estate agents. Agents handle a large share of the rental market and can show you several properties in a day, handle Georgian-language negotiation, and help with the contract. The trade-off is the agent fee (see below) and a tendency to push higher-priced listings.
• Georgian listing sites. Local property portals such as MyHome and SS.ge carry the widest selection, often at lower prices than agent-only listings, but most are in Georgian and many sellers expect you to call. A translation tool and a Georgian-speaking friend go a long way here.
• Expat groups. Facebook groups and community chats for foreigners in Tbilisi and Batumi regularly post rentals, sublets and direct-from-owner deals. These can be the fairest prices of all, with no agent in the middle, though you take on more of the legwork and verification yourself.

The lease agreement — what must be in writing

Always insist on a written lease, even for a short tenancy and even if the landlord seems trustworthy. A verbal agreement is almost impossible to enforce, and the written contract is what protects your deposit and your right to stay. At a minimum, the lease should clearly fix four things: the rent amount, the payment schedule (how much, how often, and by what date each month), the deposit terms (how much, what it can be deducted for, and when it is returned), and the repair responsibilities — who pays for what when something breaks. Vague wording on any of these is where most later arguments begin.

Insist on an English translation

Your lease may well be written in Georgian. Do not sign a document you cannot read. Ask for a certified English translation, or have the contract drawn up bilingually so the Georgian and English versions sit side by side. A certified translation also matters if you ever need to rely on the lease — for example as proof of address when you set up a Georgian bank account for rent transfers or when you apply for a residence permit once you’ve settled in. If you are arranging the rental from abroad, you can also appoint someone by power of attorney to sign your lease while abroad, which is common for renters who want to lock in a place before they arrive.

Currency clause (USD vs GEL)

One clause deserves special attention: the currency the rent is denominated in. Many Georgian landlords quote rent in US dollars even though you will usually pay in Georgian lari (GEL) at the prevailing exchange rate. That distinction matters. If the rent is fixed in USD, your monthly cost in lari rises and falls with the exchange rate, which can mean paying noticeably more some months. If it is fixed in GEL, your payment is stable in the currency you actually earn or hold locally. Make sure the lease states the currency explicitly, and if it is in dollars, check whether the conversion is at the National Bank rate or some other reference — and pin that down in writing.

Deposits & upfront payments

Expect to pay a security deposit, typically equal to one to two months’ rent. A very common arrangement is to pay the first month plus the last month at signing — so on a place advertised at one figure per month, you may need roughly two to three months’ worth of cash on the table before you get the keys. The deposit is meant to cover damage beyond normal wear and tear, and should be returned at the end of the tenancy once the apartment is handed back in good condition.

Because that upfront sum is significant, plan your funds before you start viewing — many foreigners find it easiest to set up a Georgian bank account for rent transfers so that deposits and monthly rent move cleanly and leave a record. A bank transfer or a signed receipt for any cash you hand over is far better protection than an unrecorded cash payment.

Agent fees — who pays?

The agent’s commission on a rental is usually paid by the landlord or owner rather than the tenant — that is the typical expectation in Georgia. Practice varies, though, and some agents do charge the tenant a fee, often equivalent to part or all of one month’s rent. The key is to ask the question outright before you commit: “Who pays your fee, and how much is it?” Get the answer in writing, ideally in the lease or in a separate signed note, so there is no awkward surprise at signing. If an agent expects a fee from you and the same apartment is listed direct-from-owner elsewhere, that is worth weighing up.

Move-in inspection & documenting condition

The single best thing you can do to protect your deposit is to document the apartment’s condition on the day you move in. Walk through every room with the landlord or agent present and take dated photos and short videos of everything — walls, floors, the kitchen, the bathroom, appliances, furniture, and any existing scratches, stains or faults. Write up a simple move-in inventory listing the contents and their condition, and have both you and the landlord sign and date it.

This inventory becomes your reference point when you move out. If the landlord later claims you damaged something or left the place dirty, a signed, dated record of how the apartment looked on day one is the evidence that settles it. Note meter readings for utilities at the same time so you are not billed for the previous tenant’s usage.

Common pitfalls & avoiding deposit disputes

By far the most common problem foreign renters run into is the deposit-return dispute: at the end of the tenancy the landlord withholds part or all of the deposit, citing cleaning costs or repairs. Sometimes the deductions are fair; often they are not, and without documentation it becomes one person’s word against another’s. The move-in inventory above is your best defence. Beyond that, watch for these recurring pitfalls:

• No written lease, or one only in Georgian. Never rely on a handshake, and never sign what you cannot read.
• Unclear deposit conditions. Make the lease state exactly what the deposit can be deducted for and when it is returned.
• Ambiguous currency. Confirm whether rent is in GEL or USD, and at what exchange rate.
• Cash with no receipt. Pay by bank transfer where possible, or insist on a signed receipt every time.
• Unconfirmed ownership. Check that the person signing is the actual owner (or holds power of attorney), so you are not paying a non-owner.
• No exit notice terms. Agree in writing how much notice each side must give to end the lease.

Renting is one side of the property picture; if you are on the other side and earning rent, it is worth understanding if you’re a landlord, how rental income is taxed in Georgia.

This article is general information, not legal advice.