Frequently Asked Questions

5 important rules for currency exchange in Georgia:

1. Compare rates — use our website to find the best banks and exchange offices
2. Avoid the airport — rates at Tbilisi airport are 3-5% worse than in the city
3. Check the license — exchange only at licensed exchange offices
4. Count your change — count money on the spot before leaving the counter
5. Keep the receipt — you'll need it for returns or complaints

Best places to exchange in Tbilisi: Vake, Saburtalo, Rustaveli metro station.

Yes, but with nuances:

Directly — most exchange offices in Tbilisi accept rubles and exchange them directly for dollars. Fee: 2-4% of amount.

Through lari — some banks work by scheme: rubles → lari → dollars. You pay double commission.

Where the rate is better:

• TBC Bank — one of the best rates for rubles
• Bank of Georgia — competitive rates in the center
• Exchange offices on Kote Abkhazi Street — often cheaper than banks

Important: Take the receipt! If you discover fake bills, the receipt is your proof.

Yes, this is important to consider!

Before Georgian holidays (New Year, Easter, Giorgoba) demand for currency grows, especially for dollars. The rate can worsen by 1-2%.

Summer season (June-August) — best time to exchange dollars for lari. The rate is more favorable due to tourist influx.

Recommendation: Exchange currency 2-3 days before major holidays or at the beginning of summer season.

Yes, if the exchange office is licensed. In Georgia, only official exchange offices with NBG license operate.

How to verify legality:

• NBG license must be visibly displayed
• Exchange office is listed in the register at nbg.gov.ge (http://nbg.gov.ge)
• They issue official receipt with stamp

Where to exchange safely:

• Liberty exchange office network
• Change.ge (http://Change.ge)
• Exchange offices in shopping centers

Avoid:

• Unlicensed exchange offices in dark alleys
• Offers to exchange at "favorable rate" from strangers on the street
• Exchanging large amounts without receipt

The Georgian lari exchange rate depends on several key factors:

• Tourism — Georgia receives 5-7 million tourists per year, affecting lari demand
• Money transfers — about $2 billion in remittances flow to Georgia annually
• NBG policy — the National Bank of Georgia manages the rate through interventions
• Inflation — current inflation in Georgia is 2-4% per year
• Trade balance — imports significantly exceed exports
• Seasonality — in summer (May-September) the lari usually strengthens due to tourists

This depends on your goals and planning horizon:

US dollars or euros — stable currencies for long-term savings. Protect against lari devaluation. Foreign currency deposits: 2-4% per year.

Georgian lari — make sense at deposits with 10-12% interest per year. But consider inflation of 2-4% — real return about 6-8%.

Expert advice: Diversify your portfolio — 40% lari, 40% dollars, 20% euros. This reduces currency risks.

This is a reference rate that the National Bank of Georgia (NBG) publishes every business day based on trading in the foreign exchange market.

Important to understand: Banks and exchange offices are NOT obligated to exchange at NBG rate. They set their own rates based on market conditions and add a margin (usually 1-3%).

Official NBG rate: nbg.gov.ge (http://nbg.gov.ge)

Difference between NBG rate and commercial rate: usually 2-4% when buying/selling currency.

Yes, the euro is very popular in Georgia!

Unlike some CIS countries where the dollar dominates, the euro has a strong position in Georgia:

• Tourism — most tourists from Europe pay in euros
• Trade — significant part of imports comes from Europe
• Rate stability — euro is less volatile against lari than dollar

Euro rate in Georgia: usually more favorable than in Russia or other countries in the region. Spreads (buy/sell difference) are about equal to dollar spreads.

Tip: If you're traveling to Georgia from Europe — bring euros, don't exchange them for dollars in advance.

We update rates every hour during bank working hours (from 9:00 to 18:00 Tbilisi time).

Data sources:

• Official bank websites
• Bank APIs (where available)
• Verified exchange offices

At night and on weekends rates are updated less frequently — every 3-6 hours, as most banks are closed.

Tip: Before visiting the bank, check the rate's relevance on our website — data was updated in the last hour.

Possible reasons for discrepancies:

• Different time — the rate on our website was updated 2 hours ago, but the bank changed the rate 15 minutes ago
• Cash vs. non-cash — we show cash rate, card rate may differ by 0.5-1%
• Regional differences — rate in central Tbilisi may differ from regions
• Minimum amount — some banks give better rate only when exchanging from $500-1000

If you notice significant discrepancy (more than 2%) — write to us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]), we'll check!

Yes! The website is fully optimized for smartphones and tablets.

Mobile app also available for Android and iOS with advanced features:

• Push notifications on rate changes
• Currency calculator
• Rate history
• Home screen widget
• Works offline (shows last downloaded rates)

Download: Google Play / App Store (search "TheMoney Georgia")

On website: Feature in development, email notification will be available soon.

In mobile app:

1. Download TheMoney app (Android/iOS)
2. Open Settings → Notifications
3. Enable "Push notifications about rates"
4. Select currencies to track (USD, EUR, RUB, etc.)
5. Set threshold: "notify when change exceeds 0.02 GEL"

You'll receive a notification on your phone as soon as the rate changes by the specified amount.