Which earns more in Georgia: a long let or short stays?
On the gross figures, short stays win easily. A typical Tbilisi listing on a short-stay platform earned about $11,000 in the year to August 2026, according to Airbtics, while a 50 m² flat let to a tenant at the city's average rent brings in about $6,000. After the platform's fee, management or cleaning, the owner's utility bills, furniture that wears out faster and tax, the gap narrows sharply, and in our worked example a managed short-stay flat ends up earning less than a long let. In Batumi, where most of the year's visitors arrive in three summer months and the number of short-stay flats is growing fast, the choice depends even more on the season and the building.
This page compares the two on money: income, costs, seasonality, supply and tax. The practical side of each model, from contracts to check-ins, is in our guide to renting out an apartment, and the market averages are on our rental yield page.
The headline numbers side by side
| Measure | Tbilisi | Batumi |
|---|---|---|
| Long-let rent, $ per m² a month | 9.8 (Dec 2025), 10.1 (Jun 2026) | 11.9 in Old Batumi (2Q26); no city average published |
| Gross yield reported by Galt & Taggart | 8.5% (Jun 2026) | 7.4% (2025) |
| Short-stay occupancy | 64% | 54% |
| Short-stay average daily rate | $45 | $46 |
| Short-stay revenue per listing | about $11,000 a year | about $9,000 a year |
| Active short-stay listings | 6,892 | 3,647 |
Platform data describe active listings, which include professionally run flats and studios of every size, so they are a market average, not a forecast for one flat. Different data providers also measure differently: one other provider puts Batumi's annual occupancy far below Airbtics' figure, which is a reminder to test any plan against a cautious occupancy rate.
One Tbilisi flat, two plans: a worked example
Take a 50 m² flat in Tbilisi, furnished either way, and convert lari at 2.624 per dollar, the National Bank's rate of 5 August 2026. The figures are an illustration built from the averages above and published price lists, not a promise.
| Line | Long let | Short stays, managed | Short stays, self-run |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross income | $5,555 (11 months at $505) | $10,512 (64% of 365 nights at $45) | $10,512 |
| Platform fee, 15.5% | - | -$1,629 | -$1,629 |
| Management, 20% all-inclusive | - | -$2,102 | - |
| Cleaning, GEL 50 a stay, 78 stays | - | included | -$1,486 |
| Tax | -$278 (5%) | -$2,287 (fixed tax) | -$2,287 (fixed tax) |
| Before utilities and wear | $5,277 | $4,494 | $5,110 |
The assumptions are stated so you can change them. The long let uses Galt & Taggart's June 2026 average of $10.1 per m² and allows one empty month a year. The short stays use Airbtics' occupancy and daily rate, Airbnb's host-only fee of 15.5%, an all-inclusive management fee of 20% published by one Tbilisi company, a cleaning fee of about GEL 50 per check-in published by one Batumi company, and an average stay of three nights, which is our assumption. Tax for short stays uses the optional fixed regime at GEL 10 per m² a month for the whole year. Two lines are left out because they vary too much to average: utilities, which the tenant usually pays on a long let and the owner pays on short stays, and the faster replacement of furniture and linen.
The result is not a rule. A flat with a stronger daily rate, a better location or an owner who does the work can do better on short stays; a flat in a building with many competing listings can do worse. Our short-stay income calculator lets you replace each assumption with your own.
Seasonality: the months that make the year
| Quarter | Tbilisi | Adjara |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 665.7 | 301.8 |
| Q2 | 928.3 | 629.8 |
| Q3 | 1,306.3 | 1,274.4 |
| Q4 | 866.8 | 466.9 |
Adjara, where Batumi is, received about four times as many visits in the third quarter as in the first; Tbilisi about twice as many. Airbtics reports that demand in Tbilisi peaks in July and is weakest in February, and in Batumi peaks in August and is weakest in November and February. A World Bank analysis of 2023 data found that July, August and September together accounted for 41.8% of the year's international visits. Arrivals also dipped in 2026: down 1.1% in the first quarter and 4.9% in the second, year on year.
For a long let, the season matters little once a tenant is in. For short stays, it decides the year: a Batumi flat earns most of its income in a few summer months and then competes for far fewer guests.
Supply: more competitors every year
The number of short-stay listings grew by about 24% in Tbilisi and 45% in Batumi during 2025, according to Airbtics. Galt & Taggart estimated that Batumi had about 18,000 to 20,000 flats used for short stays at the end of 2024 and expects about 35,000 to 40,000 by the end of 2029. Its scenarios for the gross yield of a daily-rental flat in 2029 range from 3.4% to 7.4%, depending on whether tourist arrivals grow by 5%, 10% or 15% a year. Batumi's average gross yield has already fallen from 10.0% in 2023 to 8.8% in 2024 and 7.4% in 2025, as prices rose faster than daily rates.
The long-let market has its own history: Tbilisi rents more than doubled in 2022, peaked in March 2023 and have held within $9 to $10 per m² since 2024. Our price history page sets out the series.
Tax: three regimes
| Situation | Tax | Main conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Long let for living in | 5% of rent, no deductions | Registration as a landlord with the Revenue Service |
| Short stays, fixed regime | GEL 10 per m² of the let area a month | Own residential space, application to the tax authority, turnover up to GEL 100,000; available until 1 January 2028 |
| Short stays outside the regime | To be confirmed; the general rate is 20% | Whether the 5% rate can apply to tourist stays is not settled |
The fixed regime has practical features that matter for planning. The tax is paid quarterly, by 15 April, 15 July, 5 October and 15 January; the owner may choose the whole year or particular months; the owner needs no cash register; and while the regime applies, the letting is not subject to VAT. Outside it, an owner whose taxable turnover passes GEL 100,000 in any 12 months must register for VAT. On a large flat the fixed tax can cost more than the 5% a long let pays: for 50 m² it is GEL 6,000 a year, whatever the flat earns.
To be added by the team: the partner accountant to confirm how the conditions of Article 309(24) combine, whether the let area means the whole flat, how short stays are taxed outside the regime, whether non-residents can use it, and whether the 2026 work-permit rules affect a foreign owner who lets by the night.
Costs that differ between the two
- Platform fees. Most Airbnb hosts on the host-only fee pay 15.5% of the booking; Booking.com charges its own commission.
- Management. Published price lists include 20% all-inclusive and 25% of income in Tbilisi, and in Batumi 30% for daily letting with the owner also paying utilities, building fees and half the platform fees, against 15% for a long let.
- Cleaning. One Batumi company quotes about GEL 50 per check-in on top of its 20% fee.
- Utilities. On short stays the owner pays them. In Tbilisi, household electricity has cost 20.041 to 28.537 tetri per kWh since 1 April 2026, depending on monthly use.
- Furniture and linen. Hotel-standard furnishing is replaced more often under constant turnover.
- Building rules. An association can register restrictions on short stays; check before you furnish for them.
Rules for short stays
We found no national registration duty for private owners who let flats by the night: the amendments to the Law on Tourism in force since 28 May 2026 require registration in the national tourism database only from tour guides, tour operators and travel agents. We also found no tourist or accommodation tax in Tbilisi or Batumi, and no municipal permit for short-stay flats. What can stop short stays is the building itself: owners can agree restrictions on use that bind once registered in the Public Registry. Our page on homeowners' associations explains how.
A mixed year
Some owners combine the two: short stays in the high season and a fixed-term let for the rest of the year. The fixed tax can be chosen for particular months, which suits this pattern. The weak point is the handover between the two, because a tenant who stays on after the term without objection gets an indefinite tenancy; our renting guide explains how to write the contract.
Which suits whom
| Owner | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lives abroad, wants little involvement | Long let | One contract a year, tenant pays utilities |
| Small, central Tbilisi studio | Either; test both | Strong year-round demand from visitors |
| Seaside flat in Batumi | Short stays or a mixed year | Demand concentrated in summer |
| Large family flat | Long let | The fixed tax grows with area, and family tenants stay longer |
| Owner who wants to use the flat | Short stays | The calendar stays free for own visits |
Risks and exceptions
- Comparing gross with gross. Short-stay costs take a much larger share of income.
- A summer-only year. In Batumi a few months carry the whole year.
- New supply. More listings each year push occupancy and rates down.
- Tax outside the fixed regime. The rate is not settled; budget cautiously.
- Building restrictions. A registered restriction can end a short-stay plan.
Frequently asked questions
Does Airbnb earn more than a long let in Tbilisi?
Gross income is usually higher, but after fees, management, cleaning and tax the difference can disappear.
How is short-stay income taxed?
Owners letting their own home can choose a monthly charge of GEL 10 per square metre through 2027; outside that regime the rate is still being confirmed.
Do I need a licence to let by the night?
We found no national or city registration duty for private owners; check the building's rules.
When is the high season in Batumi?
July to September; Adjara receives about four times as many visits in the third quarter as in the first.
What does a management company charge?
Published prices range from 20% to 30% of income for short stays and about 15% for a long let.
Is there a tourist tax?
We found none in Tbilisi or Batumi.
Can I mix the two models?
Yes; the fixed tax can be chosen for particular months, but write the long-let term carefully.
Is short-stay supply still growing?
Yes; listings grew by about 24% in Tbilisi and 45% in Batumi in 2025.
Sources
- Annual Airbnb revenue in Tbilisi, Airbtics (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Annual Airbnb revenue in Batumi, Airbtics (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Tbilisi Residential Real Estate, 2025 Full Year Overview, Galt & Taggart (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Sector snapshot: Batumi residential real estate, Investor.ge (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Real estate trends in Batumi, Galt & Taggart (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Short-term rental market report 2025: Georgia, Airbtics (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Tourism in Georgia, analysis of 2023 data, World Bank (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Inbound tourism statistics, III quarter 2025, Geostat (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Inbound tourism statistics, IV quarter 2025, Geostat (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Inbound tourism statistics, I quarter 2026, Geostat (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Tax Code of Georgia (Articles 81, 165, 309), Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Law No 1061 of 12 November 2025 amending the Tax Code, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Law No 1630 of 28 May 2026 amending the Law on Tourism, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Property management prices, Wehost (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Management terms, Property Host (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Financial conditions, Batumi Apartment Management (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Rental management, GruziaExpert (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Electricity tariffs from 1 April 2026, Georgia Today (accessed 18 October 2026)
Change log
- - Comparison published from Galt & Taggart, Airbtics, Geostat, published management price lists and the Tax Code (Art. 309, extended by Law No 1061).