Having sold my business and apartment, I took a risk and moved to Batumi. A Russian woman's experience moving to Georgia
What is life like in Georgia? How much does it cost to live in Georgia, and are there any restrictions to consider? Vasilina from Russia, who moved to Batumi three years ago, shared with us her personal experience of moving to Georgia.
Georgia today is at the peak of popularity for emigrants and for real estate investors. The most popular regions of the country are Tbilisi and Batumi. Vasilina Blinova is the one who moved to Batumi and shared with us her story of immigration and her observations about life in Georgia.
«With three suitcases and two kids — I took a chance and moved to Batumi»
— My name is Vasilina, and I am from the Russian city of Vladivostok. The first time I came to Georgia was for a hairdressing conference in Tbilisi in April 2019. From Tbilisi, I went to Batumi and immediately fell in love with the city. Upon returning from the conference, I started researching all the information about Batumi and Georgia in general.
Several factors influenced my decision to move to Georgia. After reviewing real estate prices, I realized that by selling an apartment in my city, I would be able to buy a nice apartment in Georgia. Also, I was very attracted to the subtropical climate and the availability of the sea, which I love. The decisive point was the fact that you can move to Georgia with children without getting a notarization from the ex-spouse (unlike, for example, in Europe).
So with three suitcases and two kids, I took a risk and turned over a new leaf in my life. I sold my business along with a two-bedroom apartment and moved to the Georgian city of Batumi. After three years of living here, I have not regretted my decision at all.
— In December 2019, we were already in Georgia. So it took me 10 months to do all the packing for the move. I could have done it in a month, but I needed to resolve the issue of selling my apartment in Vladivostok.
After moving, I bought an apartment in Batumi, made repairs, and rented a place to work — I provided hairdressing services as a stylist. At the same time, I started a blog on YouTube where I told my story of immigration, and I’m still doing it.
After six months of living in Batumi, I met my now husband. His name is Vakhtang. He is a Georgian refugee from Abkhazia (originally from the city of Sukhumi). When there was a war in Abkhazia, he and his relatives moved to Moscow, where he lived for 24 years. And in 2016, he moved from Moscow to Batumi, where he was already engaged in tourism and apartment management.
After we married, Vakhtang and I opened «My Georgia», a business tourism and real estate agency: we advise people on immigration issues, assist with on-site adaptation, organize transfers, and assist them in purchasing real estate.
«You only need a passport to move to Georgia»
— To move to Georgia, you do not need anything but a passport. So, foreigners can stay here for 360 days. When these days pass, you have to leave the country and come back — that’s how expats live here. That is, they do not get any documents, a residence permit, or a permanent residence permit; they simply leave the country once a year and come back.
All expats should understand that without knowledge of Georgian and English, it is very difficult to get a job here in any state institution or even in a store. So you should not expect to be able to get a job when you move here. In the country as a whole, the job situation remains problematic, and the salaries here are very small.
Basically, those who work remotely feel good here. The country also benefits from the fact that many people move here: they earn money online, rent apartments here, buy real estate, eat, and go out to restaurants — thus contributing to the economy of Georgia. To understand the scale of emigration to Georgia, there is one emigrant for every 70 tourists.
Generally speaking, Georgia is a very friendly and hospitable country. As I say, it is a «warm» country; here I heard the phrase «warm» person for the first time. It is clear that if you look for negatives, you will always find them. Every place has its drawbacks and advantages, but for me, Georgia is a very cozy and secure place. It is also important to me that here I can freely express my opinion.
«It used to be difficult for a foreigner to get a mortgage in the country — now it’s possible»
— Rental prices in Batumi in 2022 jumped by 1.5–2 times, and the purchase of real estate jumped by 30%. Buyers have different goals: someone buys objects for their own use; someone invests in order to make money.
The cost of real estate in Batumi varies depending on the location and the quality of the house. For instance, an apartment near the mountains and away from the city center can be purchased for $600-700 per «square meter.» In newer areas, the price per square meter starts at $1300, and in the old part of town, prices start at $2000 per square meter.
You can buy housing for cash or non-cash — as agreed. In addition to dollars, euros, pounds, and GEL, cryptocurrency can also be used as a payment method. You only need to keep in mind that the developers or intermediary companies that accept crypto, usually take about 3% for the service of cashing.
Interestingly, until recently, non-Georgian citizens and those without a residence permit found it difficult to obtain a mortgage in the country. But now, many banks are collaborating with major developers to provide such an opportunity. To take out a mortgage, you only need to have your passport.
Note: in Georgia, foreigners are exempt from property tax. In addition, if you buy real estate in the country for at least $100,000, you can get a one-year temporary residence permit with the option of extending it. When investing more than $300,000, you can obtain a residence permit for up to 5 years (and then permanently).
«Batumi is now one big construction site»
— As for prices in general, compared to 2019, prices for everything jumped about twice. When we first arrived, I was earning somewhere around 1800–2000 GEL ($650–750), and back then, with the kids, that was generally enough money for me (given that I already had my own real estate). Now, of course, with the rise in prices, we have completely different expenses, and the standard of living is higher.
Note: Here are some examples of current prices for foodstuffs in Batumi: 1 kg of sugar costs 4,30 lari ($1.61), 10 eggs cost 5,5 lari ($2), and 1 kg of chicken fillet costs 8,7 lari ($3.25).
— Now some information about everyday things. Until recently, it was not a problem for a foreigner to open a bank account. Nowadays, they close some accounts in Georgian banks. But I think this is a temporary phenomenon.
Here the human factor influences as well: sometimes a person comes, and the employee refuses to speak to him in Russian, so you have to communicate in Georgian or English. If you do not know these languages, you can hire an interpreter.
Medicine in Georgia is not at a high level, particularly in Batumi. Most often, for serious examinations and operations, people go either to Tbilisi or to neighboring Turkey (even special medical tours are organized). In general, locals and expats frequently go to Turkey, for example, to buy products and household chemicals — they are 2-3 times cheaper there than in Georgia.
— I like Batumi because it is a small resort town where everyone knows each other and everyone goes to visit each other (this tradition is still preserved here). I also like that everything I need is close by and that I don’t have to sit in traffic every day to get anywhere.
Batumi is now one big construction site. The city is developing; different construction companies, including Turkish ones, are investing here. Of course, there are properties of varying quality, but the city is steadily growing. The level of service in Georgia is currently being raised by some expats opening new cafés, restaurants, businesses, networks, etc.
If we take into account that 20–30 years ago the city was literally standing on the swamps and people were poor, then, of course, now you can see a big difference.
Do you want to share your personal experience of relocating and living in another country? Email us at info@realting.com. We will be happy to tell your story.
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