The Cost of Travel to Georgia Shouldn’t Break the Bank: 7 Saving Tips To Get You There
Maintain your financial wellness with some of the best money-saving tips for travel to Georgia from the UAE.
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With the heat of the UAE reaching sizzling temperatures, we know you’re not the only one daydreaming of a holiday to cooler climes. But with travel costs rising all over the globe, you may find it daunting to plan a much-needed getaway that won’t put too much of a dent in your savings.
Situated at the intersection of Europe and Asia, Georgia is a crossroads of cultural diversity and a gem of a vacation destination, boasting gorgeous landscapes, breathtaking ancient architecture, four distinct weather seasons, and some of the oldest and finest wine vineyards in the world in the Kakheti region.
What’s more, from Dubai or Abu Dhabi, the cost of travel to Georgia is relatively inexpensive, making it one of the best value-for-money destinations for UAE residents, and thus a relatively easy task to save money for travel.
High up in the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia
Source: PxFuel
A vineyard in Kakheti, Georgia
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Home to the stunning Caucasus Mountains, Black Sea beaches, and the famous 12th century cave monastery in Vardzia, Georgia has a ton of activities to offer, from nature excursions to historical tours and incredible food in its capital city, Tbilisi, amongst other amazing destinations.
New visitors won’t run out of things to see, do, and taste, and you can even use Georgia as a jump-off point to travel by land to neighboring countries Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Architecture in Tbilisi, Georgia
Source: Pixabay
Vardzia cave monastery, Georgia
Source: Wikimedia Commons
The best part? Your travel budget for visiting Georgia doesn’t have to cause you anxiety.
That’s because for all its wonders, Georgia is relatively affordable, with great opportunities for cost-cutting. It’s also worth noting that while 1 Georgian lari (GEL) is equal to 1.43 dirhams (AED), the cost of living in Georgia (USD 1,037/ AED 3,809 per month) is 31% less expensive than that of the UAE (USD 1,498/AED 5,502 per month).
From a savings perspective, it’s always better to start preparing for trips with months to spare, shaving down costs of air fare, accommodation, tours, and other trip-related expenses.
We’ll take you through all that and more in our list of Georgia cost of travel savings tips, chosen carefully to help you protect your smart savings, give you peace of mind, and contribute to your financial wellness.
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The town of Sighnaghi, Kakheti, Georgia’s wine region
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Georgia in June, before the summer rush
Source: Wallpaper Flare
Our first money-saving tip for the cost of travel to Georgia is all about timing. July and August—summer in Georgia—can get uncomfortably hot, and they also happen to be the busiest tourist months (high season) for those looking for a warmer vacation destination. In your case, we’re willing to bet the opposite—that you and your family would love to escape the heat of Dubai.
Avoid visiting Georgia in the high tourist season. Instead, think about booking your trip for May, June, or September, when temperatures are friendly (but not sweltering or freezing—unless you’re craving a wintry experience) and costs are lower. Traveling to Georgia in the off-season gives you three awesome benefits: 1) the weather is better, 2) you avoid the crowds, and 3) you save money.
Here’s a look at Georgia’s weather, by the month:
July and AugustSummer/peak holiday months/snow-free Caucasus MountainsSeptember and OctoberAutumn/snow starting to fall/most pleasant weather in the lowlandsNovember to February or MarchWinter/low season/winter sports/freezing temperatures April and MaySpring/rainy and mildJuneBeginnings of summer/pre-summer rush/pleasantly warm temperatures
Source: Responsible Travel
Besides choosing an off-season month, don’t forget that weekday flights are usually less expensive than weekend flights!
Post-pandemic airfare rates have gone up so much, making travel seem like even more of an improbability. Our second tip on the cost of travel to Georgia? Don’t take those loyalty points for granted—travel with the same airline as often as you can.
Amassing loyalty points with an airline can seem like a futile activity—are those points even worth something? According to travel expert Jessica Nabongo, the first Black woman documented to have visited all 195 countries in the world, they can be worth quite a lot!
Traveling with the same airline, especially if you travel often for work, can provide you with huge savings, thanks to those loyalty points.
“Loyalty is key,” says Nabongo. “I am super loyal to airlines and when you’re loyal to them you end up getting perks like upgrades and luggage for free.” Nabongo shares that last year, she saved over USD 4,000 (AED 14,692) in luggage fees by flying solely with Delta.
Those are some fantastic savings! Every airline’s loyalty points system works differently, so check with your airline to see what your loyalty points can get you.
In addition to using the same airline, if you travel to a specific place often for work, you might want to consider booking Emirates return flights to Dubai rather than from Dubai, which often come out to be cheaper, shares Steve Cronion, financial independence coach and founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
You know the saying—”Location, location, location.” In terms of saving on the cost of travel to Georgia, it’s so true. Location is key, not just in terms of where you’re going, but where you’re coming from.
While ticket prices from Dubai to Tbilisi are fairly decently priced, here’s a little something we noticed on popular cheap flights site Skyscanner—it’s at least AED 200 (USD 54) less per person to depart from Abu Dhabi as opposed to Dubai on the same dates. Depending on the time of the year and the deals on offer, it could even be more.
Source: Skyscanner
Whether you’re traveling alone, with your partner, or with your family, you could be looking at some decent savings! It’s definitely worth checking out.
You can cut down on the cost of travel to Georgia if you choose a different city as your destination.
Georgia travel tour operator My Geo advises travelers who want to visit Georgia to check out the airport in the city of Kutaisi, which has its own charms. It is home to the centuries-old Bagrati Cathedral, monasteries with martyr’s remains, and petrified waterfalls. And it is often much cheaper to fly into, resulting in some much-sought after savings!
Kutaisi is roughly 230 km away from Tbilisi (3.5 hours travel time), and travel to the capital city from Kutaisi will only cost you around GEL 20 (AED 1.43) on public transportation. The cost of travel in Georgia is actually quite inexpensive!
Bagrati Cathedral, Kutaisi
Source: PxFuel
When traveling around Georgia, you might want to consider using public transportation—buses, mini-buses, and the famous marshrutka vans—to get around, because taxis will cost you a lot more.
However, if you do get on a taxi, you can bargain down for a lower price. Haggling with taxis is considered a norm in Georgia, so don’t be shy!
Sometimes, car rental and driving yourself around Georgia can be even cheaper, depending on the deals available. Take a look and think about those savings!
As tempting as it is to charge your cost of travel to Georgia on your credit card (the old “charge now, pay later” move), stop and think again. If you won’t be able to pay off your credit card within a month or two, don’t even go near that plastic.
Financial independence coach and the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com, Steve Cronin advises staying away from credit card usage (and high interest charges!) and instead advocates setting a savings plan for the holiday and putting an amount away every month into a “sinking fund” specifically for the trip.
“The expense of a holiday can eat into your savings and give you an excuse not to invest regularly,” Cronin says, adding that it’s important to “set a budget for the holiday and save a bit in a 'sinking fund' each month towards it. That way your monthly expenses will be more predictable and you will know that you have enough to go on holiday by the time you have to pay for it.”
In terms of how much spending money you’re going to need for Georgia per day (considering cost of food, accommodation, transportation, and entrance fees to attractions such as national parks), it all depends on how you like to travel.
Backpackers will obviously require less daily than luxury travelers, and then there are the mid-range travelers who will be happy with something in between.
Take a look at this daily recommendation of costs below:
How much spending money you need for Georgia (average cost per day in GEL)
AccommodationFoodTransportationAttractionsAverageDailyCost (GEL)AverageDailyCost (AED)AverageDailyCost (USD)Backpacker202515107010027Mid-range4060355018526472Luxury951306070360514140
Source: Nomadic Matt
Want to make the most of your Georgia vacation? Plan ahead and search for some of the cheapest Georgia tour packages from Dubai. There are many interesting yet cheap Georgia vacation packages to be had, and there is something for everyone, from nature lovers to history buffs and foodies.
This three-day tour package in Georgia from Viator for two people costs around USD 250 (AED 918) and takes you on day trip sightseeing tours to Tbilisi's top attractions—historic and scenic places such as Mtskheta, Mount Kazbegi, and the cave city of Uplistsikhe.
Uplistsikhe Cave City, Georgia
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Holidays by FlyDubai are offering some of the cheapest Georgia tour packages from Dubai, inclusive of flights and a three-night stay for only AED 1,490 (USD 405) and up. Don’t miss out on these deals—they could be the savings you and your family need to make this vacation easier on your budget! Just don’t forget to book your travel insurance separately.
Source: Holidays by FlyDubai
If you have something specific in mind for your trip to Georgia, such as a New Year’s celebration, a romantic Valentine holiday, or an Eir Al Adha getaway, Arooha Tours has varied tour packages to choose from.
Source: Arooha Tours
If you’ve got the whole family in tow, you might want to check out this family tour package by Go Kite travel, who can also help plan a customized family trip for you and your loved ones.
For the foodies, the Georgian Cuisine Flavors for Gourmets tour package promises to be a gastronomic treat. Sample Georgian wine and authentic Georgian cuisine from superb local restaurants and cafes, and eateries, like the famous khachapuri, a traditional dish of cheese-filled bread, with a mixture of cheese, eggs, and other delicious ingredients. Georgians love to tear off the crusty bread and dip it into the cheese!
Khachapuri, the national dish of Georgia
Source: CCNULL
When calculating your cost of travel to Georgia, you can’t forget about accommodations. Many travelers are pleasantly surprised by Georgia’s friendly average prices for quality places to stay. Whether you’re willing to stay in a hostel, a guesthouse, private rooms, a boutique hotel, or prefer to rent your own apartment, you’ve got plenty of good, cost-cutting options available to you.
In terms of booking sites and apps, you might want to consider checking out VRBO (for private apartments) and Booking.com (for hotels). While still used widely in Georgia, AirBnB is often quite a bit more expensive than its fellow booking apps.
VRBO options in Tbilisi (in USD)
Source: VRBO
AirBnB options in Tbilisi (in USD)
Source: AirBnb
Remember, maintaining your financial wellness doesn't mean compromising on unforgettable experiences!
By implementing these money-saving tips, you can embark on a fabulous trip to Georgia without breaking the bank, and you can focus on what’s truly important—enjoying your holiday time!
[Start a better relationship with your money by using smart savings app MALY, which links to your UAE bank, automates savings from daily purchases, sets up easy saving plans, and helps you achieve financial wellness. Download MALY for FREE on Apple and Google Pay. Your future self will thank you!]
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