Buying in Batumi as a foreigner
Georgia lets foreigners buy homes on the same terms as locals, and the paperwork is short. What matters is checking the property, paying through a bank and registering the purchase properly.
Who can buy
Foreigners can buy residential and commercial property in Georgia. The restrictions concern agricultural land, which does not affect city apartments.
The purchase, step by step
Check the property
Order an extract from the Public Registry (NAPR). It shows the registered owner and any mortgage or other encumbrance. It costs 20 GEL in one working day, or 13 GEL when ordered online.
Open a Georgian bank account early
Payment usually goes through a Georgian bank. Banks may ask questions about the source of funds — Russian citizens in particular — so open the account before you need it.
Sign the contract
For a new-build, check the developer’s permits and record of past deliveries. For resale, the seller or their representative signs with you.
Register the purchase
Ownership exists only once it is registered with the Public Registry, at a Public Service Hall. The fee is 150 GEL for 4 working days, 270 GEL for 1 working day and 350 GEL the same day.
Or do it all remotely
A representative can act for you with a notarised power of attorney. If you sign it abroad, it must carry an apostille.
Costs and taxes
| Registration (NAPR) | 150 / 270 / 350 GEL — 4 days / 1 day / same day |
|---|---|
| Registry extract | 20 GEL (13 GEL online) |
| Rent of a home for living, by an individual | 5% of gross rental income |
| Profit from selling an apartment, individual | 0% after two years of ownership; 5% within two years |
| Annual property tax | Depends on the household’s income — confirm with an accountant |
Residence permit through property
Since 1 March 2026, a foreigner owning property with a market value of at least $150,000 can apply for a one-year residence permit, renewable as long as the property is kept. A licensed appraiser confirms the value. The threshold was $100,000 from 2019.
People who already hold a permit under the old rules can keep renewing it while they keep the property. A separate investor residence permit, from $300,000, gives a five-year permit and a faster route to permanent residence.
The market in numbers
Batumi recorded 17,478 apartment sales in 2025, worth about $1.3 billion, up 15% in number on 2024 (Galt & Taggart). Colliers counted a record 17,052 transactions and found that 70% of the growth came from foreign buyers.
In December 2025, turnkey new-builds averaged $1,865 per m² and resale apartments $1,450 per m². In June 2025, a 50–60 m² apartment rented for about $11.9 per m² per month (Galt & Taggart).
What the purchase really costs
Pick an area, a size and your currency. The calculator adds the official fees, checks the residence-permit threshold and estimates the rent from the latest published figures.
Hotel programme: rented by the operator, nightly.
- Apartment
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- Registration fee
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- Registry extract (online)
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Property worth at least $150,000
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After the 5% rental income tax: —
Tax on short-term rentals depends on your status: ask an accountant.
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- Estimated rent
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- Rent covers
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- Left to pay each month
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- Cash needed upfront
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- Total interest
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- Tax on the gain
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- Gain after tax
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Side by side
| AApartment A | BApartment B | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | ||
| Price | ||
| Size | ||
| Apartment | ||
| Total to budget | ||
| Residence permit | ||
| Rental income | ||
| Yield before tax | ||
| Monthly payment | ||
| Tax at resale |
- Prices: weighted average for new turnkey apartments in each area, August 2026 (Galt & Taggart). Real prices vary widely by building, floor and view.
- Exchange rates: official rates of the National Bank of Georgia valid on 14 November 2026. Fees are set in lari.
- Long-term rents: $10.6 to $12.3 per m² per month on average in the districts surveyed by Galt & Taggart, Q2 2026. No source publishes rents area by area.
- Short-term rentals: $58 average nightly rate and 33.3% occupancy, August 2025 to July 2026 (AirROI). Batumi average gross yield: 7.1%, June 2026 (Galt & Taggart).
- Management: full-service managers in Batumi typically take 20 to 30% of short-term rental income, and premium services up to 40–45% (Airbtics, June 2026). Aparthotel programmes on sale advertise 30% or 40% for the operator: check your contract.
- Resale tax for individuals: 5% of the gain within 2 years, none after 2 years for a home, even rented (Tax Code, articles 81–82). A hotel-type unit rented in the 2 years before sale is taxed at 20% (Ministry of Finance decision No. 143, May 2026).
- Mortgage: the National Bank of Georgia lets banks lend up to 90% of the value in lari and 70% in foreign currency; each bank sets its own terms. Average rates on new mortgages in August 2026: 11.19% in lari, 7.7% in foreign currency (National Bank of Georgia). Some banks, such as Terabank, cap foreign-currency loans at 10 years when your income is in another currency. The payment shown is an estimate before insurance and bank fees.
- Not included: furniture, property tax (it depends on household income), lawyer, translator or agency fees if you use them, and management, cleaning, platform fees and maintenance for rentals.
Sources
Checked against the sources below in November 2026.
- Realting — what foreigners can buy
- Madloba — registry extract and banks
- NAPR — fees and terms
- MKD Law — registration creates ownership
- Sea Inside — power of attorney and apostille
- PwC Tax Summaries — Georgia
- EIG Law — $150,000 threshold from 1 March 2026
- YB Case — investor permit from $300,000
- BM.ge — Galt & Taggart 2025
- BM.ge — Colliers 2025
- GBC — rents, June 2025
- Galt & Taggart via InternationalInvestment — prices by location, August 2026 (8M 2026 overview, 5 Nov 2026)
- Madloba — tax on selling an apartment (Tax Code, articles 81 and 82)
- InternationalInvestment — Batumi rents and yield (Galt & Taggart, Q2 2026) and short-term rentals (AirROI)
- National Bank of Georgia — official exchange rates
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees change: confirm your case with a lawyer or accountant in Georgia.
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