What a Georgian Apartment Actually Costs to Own: Bills, Building Fees and the Tax Most Owners Never Pay

A one-bedroom apartment in Tbilisi costs roughly USD 40-80 a month to run for most of the year, rising to USD 80-150 in the coldest months. That covers electricity, gas, water and the building fee. On top sits an annual property tax that is linked to household income rather than property value — which is why a large share of owners pay nothing at all. Here is the full picture, month by month and year by year.

What are the monthly bills?

What are the monthly bills?

Item	Typical monthly cost	Notes
Electricity	USD 15-40	Higher with air conditioning in summer
Gas	USD 5-15 summer, USD 40-80 winter	Most apartments heat with gas — this is the single biggest swing
Water	USD 5-10	Often a flat rate rather than metered
Building fee	USD 5-20	New buildings charge more; see below
Internet	USD 10-20	Fibre is widely available and inexpensive
Total	USD 40-80, or 80-150 in winter	For a comfortable one-bedroom

Heating is the whole story of the annual swing. Budget for winter as a separate line rather than averaging it away — an owner who budgets USD 60 a month gets an unpleasant January.

What does the building fee actually buy?

The monthly building charge covers the shared parts: the entrance, the lift, cleaning of common areas, and in better-run buildings a reserve for repairs. New developments charge more because they have more to maintain — lifts, generators, landscaping, sometimes security and a pool.

The number matters less than whether anyone is collecting it. In an older block with no functioning residents' association, a low fee is not a saving; it means the roof and the risers have no budget and the first major repair arrives as a surprise bill split between whoever agrees to pay. Ask what the fee is, who administers it, and whether there is a reserve.

Kavlian's vetted agents can find out what a specific building actually charges and whether it is maintained before you commit. It costs you nothing to ask.

How does Georgian property tax work?

This is where most published guides — including plenty of confident ones — get it wrong. Georgian property tax for individuals is not a flat percentage of the property's value. It is keyed to the household's income for the previous calendar year:

• Household income under the lower threshold: generally exempt. The threshold has stood at GEL 40,000 and legislation has been moving it upward toward GEL 100,000.
• Income in the middle band: roughly 0.05% to 0.2% of the property's value.
• Income above the upper threshold: up to 1%, with the municipality setting the rate inside the band.

"Household" is defined broadly — spouse, minor children, and relatives permanently living with you and sharing a household. The practical result for many foreign owners with modest declared Georgian income is a property tax bill of zero.

Thresholds and rates are actively changing and how a non-resident's household income is assessed is a question with a real answer that depends on your circumstances. Confirm with a Georgian tax advisor rather than relying on any article, including this one.

What else should be in an annual budget?

• Rental income tax, if you let it: a flat 5% for individuals letting residential property.
• Insurance: optional, and inexpensive by regional standards.
• Management, if you are not there: the largest line for a remote owner, and the one most often left out of a yield calculation.
• Repairs and replacement: a boiler, a water heater, a washing machine. Set aside something annually rather than being surprised.
• Empty months: the cost of an unlet apartment is the bills continuing with no income against them.

Does this change the yield you were quoted?

Usually, yes. A gross yield figure is rent divided by purchase price and ignores everything above. Subtract twelve months of bills, the building fee, the 5% rental tax, management commission and a realistic vacancy allowance, and a headline gross yield becomes a materially smaller net one. That is not an argument against buying — it is an argument for comparing net to net.

FAQ

Are utilities cheaper in Batumi than Tbilisi?

Broadly similar, with a different shape: Batumi's humidity adds dehumidifying and ventilation costs in some buildings, while winters are milder.

Do I pay bills while the apartment is empty?

Yes. The building fee and standing charges continue, and an unheated apartment in winter carries its own risks.

Can I pay bills from abroad?

Georgian banking apps handle utility payments easily once you have an account, and management companies usually handle it for absent owners.

Is there an annual wealth tax?

No. Georgia has no annual wealth tax on property holdings.

Budget for the year, not the purchase

Kavlian's vetted specialists can give you the actual running costs for a specific building before you buy — not a market average. Talk to a specialist for free, or read our guide to property taxes for foreign buyers.