How much does an Airbnb flat in Tbilisi earn?
For an active Airbnb listing, about USD 11,000 a year according to Airbtics, which measured 64% occupancy and an average nightly rate of USD 45 from September 2025 to August 2026. Other trackers measure occupancy across every night a flat is offered and find much less: AirROI puts average revenue at USD 6,180 with 42% occupancy, and BnbCalc at about GEL 26,000 with 38%. Tbilisi earns more and more steadily than Batumi, because business travel, city breaks and longer stays spread demand across the year, but the number of listings grew by about 43% in a year on Airbtics' count.
This page sets out income by district and size, the season, the guests, the rules and the occupancy a flat needs before short stays beat a long let. The general comparison of the two strategies is in our guide to long-term or short-term rental.
Three trackers, three answers
| Source | Active listings | Occupancy | Nightly rate | Revenue a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbtics | 6,892 | 64% | USD 45 | About USD 11,000 |
| AirROI | 6,080 | 42% | USD 57 | USD 6,180 |
| BnbCalc | 5,128 | 38% | GEL 184 | About GEL 26,000 |
The differences come from method: Airbtics counts only listings that are actively booked, BnbCalc counts every night a flat is offered, and each tracker samples differently. The top listings on Airbtics earn USD 10,000 to 15,000 a year; BnbCalc's weakest earn about GEL 8,000. Plan on the middle and treat the top as what excellent management can reach.
Rates by district
| Area | Listings | Nightly rate | Long-let rent, USD per m² a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vake | 583 | USD 50 | 15.1 |
| Saburtalo | 966 | USD 42 | 11.4 |
| Isani-Samgori | 2,183 | USD 40 | 10.2 / 8.5 |
| Didube | 965 | USD 37 | 9.8 |
| Nadzaladevi | 421 | USD 33 | 9.5 |
The old centre, Sololaki, Vera, Mtatsminda and Chugureti around Marjanishvili, where most visitors want to stay, is not broken out in the open data we could read; its rates sit above the city average, and so do its purchase prices. The largest concentration of listings, in Isani-Samgori, reflects cheaper flats near the old town and the metro rather than the highest rates.
Income by size
Studios and one-bedroom flats perform best on occupancy: Airbtics measures 65% for studios. Larger flats earn more per year but fill less often. BnbCalc's figures for the latest 12 months show about GEL 21,000 for one bedroom, GEL 29,000 for two and GEL 48,000 for three, with cleaning fees charged to guests from about GEL 19 for a studio to GEL 34 for three bedrooms. Average stays on these platforms run from 7 to 10 nights, longer than the 5.6 nights of the average visitor to Georgia, because monthly stays by remote workers are mixed in.
A steadier year than the coast
Demand peaks in July and is weakest in February, and BnbCalc places the highest earnings per available night in August and September and the lowest in February and March. Visits to Tbilisi in 2025 rose from 665,700 in the first quarter to 1,306,300 in the third, about twice as many, compared with four times as many in Adjara. Tbilisi recorded 3.8 million visits in 2025, 36.2% of the national total, and weekend nights fill 6% more often than weekdays. Festivals such as Tbilisoba in early October and the New Year holidays add short peaks.
Who stays
About 78% of Tbilisi Airbnb guests come from abroad according to Airbtics, with Russia the largest origin. Visitor flows changed in 2026: in the first half of the year visitors from the EU and the UK rose 23.4%, while Israel fell 14.4%, India 59.7% and Iran 48.7%. Israelis remain the largest foreign group in Georgian hotels. Remote workers and families on extended trips book monthly stays, which keep winter occupancy higher than in Batumi.
The rules in Tbilisi
- No permit. We found no licence, registration or ban for daily rentals from Tbilisi City Hall, and the Law on Tourism does not register flats.
- Tax. Register for tax and either pay the fixed GEL 10 per m² a month for the months you choose, until 1 January 2028, or declare the income under the general rules.
- Neighbours. The owner remains responsible for guests' behaviour towards other owners, and the association can go to court for damage; a ban on letting needs a registered written agreement.
- Noise. Quiet hours are from 23:00 to 08:00, with fines of GEL 150 and then GEL 300 for repeated breaches by an individual.
- Old town. Heritage rules in historic Tbilisi govern construction and signs; we found none that stops a flat being let to guests.
Competition from hotels and new listings
Listings grew about 43% in a year on Airbtics' count, while BnbCalc saw a 6% fall in active listings, a sign that many new flats enter and some leave quickly. Hotels are adding rooms too: an ibis Styles with 114 rooms opened at Mziuri in February 2026, and a 152-room Le Méridien was announced for Chugureti in September 2026. Hotel prices on Booking.com in Tbilisi were 7.9% higher in May 2026 than a year earlier, which leaves room for flats that compete on space and kitchens rather than price alone.
When short stays beat a long let
The simplest way to decide is to ask what occupancy a managed short-stay flat needs just to match a long let of the same flat.
| District | Long let, net a year | Occupancy needed, managed | Occupancy needed, self-run |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vake | USD 7,890 | 91% | 69% |
| Saburtalo | USD 5,957 | 88% | 68% |
| Isani | USD 5,330 | 86% | 66% |
| Didube | USD 5,121 | 91% | 69% |
With full management, a flat at the district's average rate would need occupancy far above the 38% to 64% the trackers measure. An owner who runs the flat personally needs about two thirds occupancy, before counting cleaning and their own time. Short stays pay where the nightly rate is well above the district average: a flat in the old centre, an unusual view or design, or a three-bedroom for groups. The fixed tax for a whole year is a large part of the hurdle; choosing it only for the busiest months lowers it.
Monthly stays: the middle road
Between nightly guests and a 12-month tenant sits a third market: people who book a furnished flat for one to three months. Remote workers, consultants on a project, families waiting for their own flat and visitors on long trips all use it, and it explains why average stays on Tbilisi platforms run to 7 to 10 nights. A monthly guest pays more than a long-term tenant but needs far less work than a stream of weekend visitors.
| Option | Price a month | Owner keeps |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly stay, 25% discount | 945 | 759 |
| Monthly stay, 35% discount | 819 | 652 |
| Monthly stay, 45% discount | 693 | 546 |
| Long let | 570 | 542 |
Even a deep discount leaves a monthly stay slightly ahead of a long let in this example, before tax on the short-stay income and with no management fee, because the owner handles one guest a month. The catch is the gaps between bookings: a monthly flat that stands empty for one month in four earns less than the long let. Owners often combine the two, with nightly guests in summer and monthly guests from November to March.
Running costs to plan for
- Platform. Airbnb's host-only fee is about 15.5% of the booking.
- Management. 20% all-inclusive at Wehost, 25% at Property Host, 20% plus about GEL 50 a check-in at Gruziaexpert; Airbtics estimates 10% to 15% for partial service.
- Utilities. Paid by the owner on short stays; electricity rose by 5 tetri per kWh on 1 April 2026.
- Waste fee. GEL 2.50 a month for a flat in use with nobody registered.
- Wear. Linen, towels and furniture wear faster with a new guest every week.
Setting up short stays in Tbilisi, step by step
Check the rate, not the average
Look at listings in your street to see what similar flats charge.
Work out the break-even
Compare with the long-let rent for your district.
Register for tax
Fixed tax for chosen months or the general rules.
Offer monthly stays
For remote workers in the quieter months.
Keep the neighbours on side
House rules, quiet hours and a contact number.
Risks and exceptions
- Optimistic averages. Tracker figures differ by a factor of almost two.
- More listings. New flats and hotels keep arriving.
- Visitor swings. Some markets fell sharply in 2026.
- Tax costs. The fixed tax is due whatever the occupancy.
- Neighbour complaints. The owner answers for the guests.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Airbnb in Tbilisi make?
About USD 11,000 a year for an active listing on Airbtics; other trackers show less.
What is Airbnb occupancy in Tbilisi?
Between 38% and 64%, depending on the tracker.
Which district earns the most per night?
Vake among the districts with published data, at about USD 50.
Is a licence needed for daily rent in Tbilisi?
No licence; tax registration is required.
Is short-term rental better than long-term in Tbilisi?
Only with a rate well above average or very high occupancy.
When is the low season?
February and March.
Do studios rent well?
Yes, they show the highest occupancy, about 65%.
Can neighbours stop me letting by the night?
Only with a registered written agreement, but they can claim for damage.
Sources
- Airbnb revenue in Tbilisi, Airbtics, 16 October 2026 (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Georgia short-term rental market report 2025, Airbtics, 22 January 2026 (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Tbilisi Airbnb data, AirROI, 1 October 2026 (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Tbilisi market, BnbCalc, October 2026 (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Inbound tourism statistics, 2025, Geostat (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Hotel price index, May 2026, PMCG Research (accessed 20 October 2026)
- ibis Styles opens in Tbilisi, Eurobuild CEE, 25 February 2026 (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Law of Georgia on Tourism, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Law of Georgia on Homeowners' Associations, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Rules on acoustic noise, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Tax Code of Georgia, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Property management, Wehost (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Rental management, Gruziaexpert (accessed 20 October 2026)
- What it costs to rent an apartment in Tbilisi, Georgia Today, 17 August 2026 (accessed 20 October 2026)
Change log
- - Guide published from Airbtics, AirROI, BnbCalc, Geostat, Galt & Taggart, PMCG hotel prices, the Law on Tourism and published management price lists.