What can $100,000 buy in Georgian property?
A family-size flat in a good Tbilisi district, a one-bedroom flat near the sea in Batumi, or two small flats instead of one. At July 2026 averages, $100,000 buys about 58 m² of unfinished new-build space in Saburtalo, about 70 m² at the Tbilisi average, about 78 m² in an older Tbilisi building, or about 55 m² of a turnkey flat in Batumi's New Boulevard area, before costs. It is the budget at which the main choice changes from "which small flat" to "one flat or two", and it is still well short of the more than $150,000 that a property-based residence permit requires.
This guide compares one flat with two, shows how much of the budget goes on costs, tests whether borrowing helps, and explains what $100,000 does and does not open up. The smaller budget is covered in our guide to investing $50,000.
What $100,000 buys
| Location and type | Average price, $ per m² | Size for $100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Tbilisi, Didi Dighomi new build | 1,148 | about 87 m² |
| Tbilisi, older building (resale) | 1,280 | about 78 m² |
| Tbilisi, new build city average | 1,426 | about 70 m² |
| Tbilisi, Saburtalo new build | 1,732 | about 58 m² |
| Tbilisi, Vake new build | 3,180 | about 31 m² |
| Batumi, New Boulevard area, turnkey | 1,800 | about 55 m² |
| Batumi, Old Batumi, turnkey | 3,239 | about 31 m² |
Tbilisi prices are for white-frame flats that still need finishing; Batumi prices are for finished (turnkey) flats. Compare like with like by adding the cost of finishing to the Tbilisi figures.
One flat or two?
| Plan | Price | Monthly rent | Gross yield on price |
|---|---|---|---|
| One 55 m² flat in Saburtalo | $95,260 | $627 | 7.9% |
| Two 40 m² flats in Didi Dighomi | $91,840 | $696 | 9.1% |
On paper, two smaller flats in a cheaper district earn more, and one empty flat does not stop all the income. In practice they also mean two sets of finishing, furniture, tenants and building fees, and Didi Dighomi is where much of Tbilisi's new supply is being built. One flat in an established district like Saburtalo has more buyers at resale and is simpler to manage from abroad. A third option is to split the money between cities: about 35 m² of new build in Tbilisi and about 33 m² of a resale flat in Batumi, one let all year and one let in summer. Our portfolio guide explains how tax and management change with more than one flat.
How much goes on costs
With a larger flat, finishing becomes a larger item. At the mid-range figure of about $250 per m² reported in 2024, finishing a 55 m² white-frame flat costs about $13,750; two 40 m² flats cost about $20,000 between them. Furniture, fees and a reserve come on top. Registration costs GEL 150 at standard speed and notary certification of a sworn translation GEL 6 per signature on a one-page document; law firms do not publish standard prices for a legal check, so ask for a written quote; an agency example from 2022 that included all legal work came to 2.5% of the price, which would be about $2,500 here. In practice a white-frame purchase at $100,000 in total means a flat priced at about $80,000 to $85,000; a finished resale flat leaves more of the budget for the purchase itself.
Batumi at $100,000
In Batumi the same money buys a finished one-bedroom flat of about 55 m² in the New Boulevard area, where long-let rents averaged $12.3 per m² in June 2026, or about 30 m² in Old Batumi, where prices are highest. For short stays, AirROI found that the top quarter of Batumi listings earned more than $786 a month in the year to July 2026 while the median earned $423, so the building, the view and the management matter more than the budget. Our pages on Batumi's investment zones and on sea views help narrow the choice.
Splitting $100,000 between Tbilisi and Batumi
| Item | Tbilisi, 35 m² new build | Batumi, 33 m² resale |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49,910 | $49,401 |
| Finishing | About $8,750 | Usually none |
| Letting model | Long let, all year | Short stays, mostly summer |
| Indicative gross income | About $4,240 a year at $10.1 per m² | About $3,105 a year (AirROI average listing) |
The split spreads the money across two kinds of demand: local tenants in Tbilisi, who pay every month, and visitors in Batumi, who pay mostly between June and September. The total gross income is lower than two flats in a cheaper Tbilisi district, the Tbilisi flat still needs finishing, and the two flats need separate management. What the split buys is resilience: a bad summer in Batumi does not touch the Tbilisi rent, and a weak rental market in Tbilisi does not empty the Batumi flat in August. It also gives you two separate exits, one to local buyers and one to the international market.
Does borrowing make $100,000 go further?
In theory $100,000 could be a 30% down payment on a property of about $333,000, which would also clear the residence threshold. In practice the numbers rarely work. A loan of about $233,000 is about GEL 606,000, below the GEL 1,000,000 limit, so for a Georgian citizen with lari income it would have to be in lari, where new mortgages averaged 11.4% in July 2026; a borrower who is not a Georgian citizen is exempt from that rule and may be offered dollars, where the average was 7.7%. Even at 7.7%, interest on $233,000 is roughly $17,900 a year, about 63% of the $28,300 of gross rent an 8.5% yield would bring on $333,000, before costs, tax, repayments of principal and empty months; at 11.4% it is about $26,600, close to all of it. Borrowing at more than the property yields adds risk without adding income; it makes sense only when the loan is cheaper, for example in the currency of a foreign income, or when the purpose is a home rather than a return.
To be added by the team: we are confirming with banks whether foreign citizens with income abroad can borrow in dollars or euros, and on what down payment.
$100,000 and residence
- Property route. A short-term residence permit needs real estate, other than agricultural land, worth more than $150,000 by an accredited valuer. A $100,000 flat does not qualify.
- Investment route. The investment residence permit needs an investment of at least $300,000 or real estate worth more than $300,000.
- Combining. Whether two properties can be added together to pass $150,000 is not confirmed: the law speaks of one property, and advisers disagree. A single property clearly above the threshold is the safe route.
If residence is a goal, plan the purchase around the valuation, not the price paid, and leave a margin. Our page on the $150,000 property route explains the valuation.
To be added by the team: the partner lawyer to confirm how the agency counts several properties toward the $150,000 threshold.
Which plan suits which investor
| Goal | Plan |
|---|---|
| Steady income with little effort | One finished flat in an established Tbilisi district |
| Highest gross yield | Two small flats in a cheaper district, with a local manager |
| Summer use and short-stay income | One finished flat in Batumi's New Boulevard area |
| Spreading risk | One small flat in Tbilisi and one in Batumi |
| A future residence permit | One flat now, and later a single property clearly above $150,000 |
How to invest $100,000 step by step
Decide one or two
Choose between simplicity and spreading risk before you look at listings.
Set aside costs first
Finishing, furniture, fees and a reserve, then the price you can pay.
Pick the district by tenant
Families, professionals or visitors, and the districts they choose.
Compare real sales
Recent registered sales in the building, not asking prices.
Check developer and documents
Permits, commissioning and the developer's record for new builds.
Plan the exit
Who will buy the flat from you in five or ten years, and why.
Risks and exceptions
- Not enough for residence. The property route needs more than $150,000.
- Expensive borrowing. Lari mortgage rates exceed typical yields.
- Supply in cheaper districts. Two small flats compete with much new building.
- Finishing overruns. Larger flats mean larger finishing bills.
- Management load. Two flats mean two sets of tenants and repairs.
Frequently asked questions
What does $100,000 buy in Tbilisi?
About 70 m² of new build at the city average, or about 58 m² in Saburtalo, before finishing.
What does $100,000 buy in Batumi?
About 55 m² of a finished flat in the New Boulevard area.
Is one flat or two better?
Two earn more on paper; one is simpler and easier to sell.
Does $100,000 give a residence permit?
No; the property route needs real estate worth more than $150,000.
Can several properties count toward $150,000?
That is not confirmed; the law refers to one property, so a lawyer should check current practice.
Should I borrow to buy more?
Usually not at lari rates of about 11.4% against yields of about 8.5%.
How much should I keep for finishing?
About $250 per m² for a mid-range finish, based on 2024 reports; get current quotes.
What yield can I expect?
About 8% to 9% gross in our Tbilisi examples, before costs and tax.
Sources
- Tbilisi Residential Real Estate, July 2026, Galt & Taggart (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Batumi Residential Real Estate, 2Q26 Overview, Galt & Taggart (accessed 19 October 2026)
- What does renovating one square metre cost? (in Georgian), BM.ge, 24 February 2024 (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Immovable property registration fees, National Agency of Public Registry (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Government Resolution No 272 of 30 May 2022 on notary fees, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Buyer case studies (agency page), ExpatHub (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Batumi short-term rental data, AirROI (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Mortgage lending in Georgia increased by nearly 50%, International Investment, 8 September 2026 (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Georgia mandates national currency for all loans up to 1 million GEL, First Channel, 1 July 2026 (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Mortgage for individuals with income abroad, Halyk Bank Georgia (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Law of Georgia on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons (Article 15), Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 19 October 2026)
- Georgia to raise property-based residence threshold to $150,000, IMI Daily, 2 February 2026 (accessed 19 October 2026)
Change log
- - Guide published from Galt & Taggart prices and rents, AirROI, BM.ge, Public Registry and notary fees, National Bank lending rules and the Aliens Law.