Currency in Georgia: Managing Lari (GEL) and USD for Indian Students

Mastering the Financials

Managing money in a foreign country is a critical skill. As an Indian student in Georgia, you will deal with three currencies: Indian Rupees (INR) from your parents, US Dollars (USD) for university fees, and Georgian Lari (GEL) for daily living. Here is how to manage them efficiently.

The Georgian Lari (GEL)

The official currency of Georgia is the Georgian Lari (GEL). All daily transactions—buying groceries, paying for the metro, paying rent, and eating out—are done in Lari. It is illegal for local shops to accept USD directly.

Current Approx Exchange Rate: 1 GEL = ₹30 to ₹32 INR.

Paying Tuition Fees (USD)

Georgian universities price their tuition fees in US Dollars (USD). You do not need to convert INR to GEL and then to USD.

Your parents can directly wire the money from their Indian bank account to the university's official Georgian bank account using a swift transfer (often via a specialized Forex broker like Thomas Cook or through their bank's app under the LRS scheme). The money is sent in INR and received by the university in USD.

How to Manage Daily Expenses

1. Forex Cards (Highly Recommended)

Before leaving India, get a multi-currency Forex Card (like Niyo Global, HDFC Forex, or BookMyForex). Your parents can load INR onto this card instantly via UPI or NEFT. You can use this card to tap-and-pay at any supermarket or metro station in Georgia with zero or very low markup fees. It automatically converts INR to GEL at the live Visa/Mastercard rate.

2. Local Georgian Bank Accounts

Once you get your TRC (Temporary Residence Card), Nile Education will help you open a local bank account with major Georgian banks like Bank of Georgia (BOG) or TBC Bank. They have fantastic, highly advanced mobile banking apps. Your parents can wire money directly to this account, which you can then withdraw from local ATMs in GEL.

3. Carrying Cash

When you first travel to Georgia, carry around $500 to $1,000 in physical US Dollar bills. You can easily exchange these dollars for Lari at any of the thousands of exchange booths lining the streets of Tbilisi and Batumi. (Never exchange large amounts at the airport; the rates are terrible).