Business news from Ukraine

Business news from Ukraine

Real estate sales in Tbilisi and Batumi breaking records amid strong demand from foreign buyers

Georgia’s residential real estate market continues to grow: in April 2026, apartment sales in Tbilisi and Batumi showed double-digit growth, and foreign buyers remain a key driver of demand, particularly on the Black Sea coast.

According to data from the Recov.ge platform, developed by Colliers Georgia, 3,603 apartment transactions were recorded in Tbilisi in April 2026, a 12.7% increase compared to the same month last year. The market’s total transaction value grew by 28.3% to reach $310 million.

Growth in the capital was recorded in both the primary and secondary markets. The number of transactions in new projects increased by 14.6% year-over-year, including a 10.7% increase in the primary market and a 20.4% increase in the secondary market for new construction. Transactions involving older apartments also rose—by 6.2%.

Prices in Tbilisi also continued to rise. In April, the weighted average price per square meter for new apartments rose by 10.2% in the suburbs, by 2.2% in the wider city center, and by 12.1% in the city center. Overall in Tbilisi, the price of primary market transactions increased by 11.2%, and in the secondary market by 11%.

At the same time, the capital’s market remains predominantly domestic. In April 2026, Georgian citizens continued to dominate among buyers in both older and new developments, while foreign buyers accounted for 10.7%.

In Batumi, the market is more dependent on foreign demand. In April 2026, 1,292 apartments were sold in the city, which is 12.3% more than a year earlier. The market’s total value grew by 27.4% to reach $85 million. For comparison, 1,165 apartments were sold in Batumi in April 2025, and 1,234 in April 2024.

The new-construction segment saw the most active growth. Sales of apartments in new projects increased by 12.3%, while transactions involving existing housing decreased by 5.4%. Growth in the primary market was 13.3%, and in the secondary market for modern projects, 11.6%.

The weighted average price per square meter in new buildings in Batumi rose by 11.3% year-over-year in April, reaching $1,351. Price growth was 15.2% in the primary market and 9.4% in the secondary market.

The main feature of Batumi remains the high share of foreign buyers. In April 2026, foreigners accounted for 47% of transactions involving both older and new apartments, as well as 90% of the total increase in the number of transactions. This means that foreign demand was the primary driver of the market’s acceleration.

According to Galt & Taggart data for the first quarter of 2026, the share of foreigners in the Batumi apartment market was even higher: Georgian citizens purchased 37% of apartments, while foreign buyers accounted for 63% of transactions. Buyers from European countries constituted the largest group, accounting for 18% of all sales. Another 16% of transactions were made by citizens of Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus. Buyers from Israel accounted for 10%, from Turkey—4%, from Arab countries—3%, and from other countries—about 12%.

This structure indicates that Batumi remains an investment market focused on external demand, short-term rentals, and the purchase of resort real estate. In contrast, Tbilisi remains primarily a residential market: according to TBC Capital, about 80% of purchases in the capital are for residential purposes, whereas in Batumi, about 85% of purchases are for investment purposes.

In the longer term, the Georgian market continues to normalize following the surge in 2022, when demand rose sharply due to migration flows. According to TBC Capital, in 2024–2025, demand growth slowed to 5.6–6.0% per year, and in 2026, the company forecasts residential real estate market growth of approximately 4.5%.

In 2025, according to TBC Capital, 78,500 real estate transactions were registered in Georgia, which is 6% more than the previous year. Of these, 49,200 transactions were in the secondary market, and another 29,300 were in the primary market. The average housing price in Tbilisi reached $1,312 per square meter, increasing by 4.1% over the year, while in Batumi it reached $1,395 per square meter, which is 16.5% higher than the previous year’s level.

Georgia remains attractive to foreign buyers due to its relatively low entry barrier, growing tourist traffic, straightforward transaction processes, and high rental yields compared to many European markets. However, rapid growth in supply, particularly in Batumi, and a gradual decline in rental yields may limit further price growth.

Effective March 1, 2026, Georgia also raised the minimum real estate investment threshold for obtaining a temporary residence permit to $150,000. This may shift demand toward more expensive properties and long-term investors, but at the same time reduce interest among some buyers focused on smaller apartments.

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Foreigners accounted for half of all residential property transactions in Batumi, Georgia

Foreign buyers have become the main driver of growth in Batumi’s residential real estate market: in April 2026, their share of apartment transactions reached 47%, approaching half of the total market. This confirms that Georgia’s largest Black Sea resort is increasingly transforming from a local housing market into an international investment hub.

According to data from the Recov.ge platform, 1,292 apartments were sold in Batumi in April 2026, which is 12.3% more than in April 2025, when 1,165 transactions were recorded. The total market volume for the month grew by 27.4% and reached $85 million.

This growth was accompanied by a noticeable increase in the price per square meter. The weighted average price in new Batumi developments rose by 11.3% year-over-year to $1,351 per square meter. Prices in the primary market rose by 15.2%, and in the secondary market by 9.4%. At the same time, demand is concentrated specifically in new and modern projects: sales in new developments rose by 12.3%, while interest in the existing housing stock declined by 5.4%.

The key driver of growth is foreign capital. Non-residents accounted for 90% of the net increase in the number of transactions in April. Leo Chikava, Head of Research and Data Analysis at Colliers Georgia, notes that the share of foreign buyers has remained stable in the range of 44–47% in recent months, and during certain periods, foreign buyers have already surpassed local buyers in terms of activity.

Batumi differs significantly from Tbilisi in terms of demand structure. In the Georgian capital, domestic buyers remain the main driving force of the market: according to Galt & Taggart, in a January survey of developers, Georgian buyers accounted for about 77% of primary sales in Tbilisi. In Batumi, the situation is reversed: foreign demand is much more significant, and the share of foreign buyers in the surveyed projects reached 52%.

Among the most active foreign buyers in Batumi are citizens of Israel, Russia, and EU countries, as well as buyers from Ukraine, Belarus, and other post-Soviet states. According to Global Property Guide, citing Galt & Taggart, in 2025, buyers from the EU and Israel each accounted for 13% of sales in the surveyed projects in Batumi, while buyers from Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus together accounted for 11%. The exact share of Ukrainians is not disclosed in this report.

In 2025, the Batumi market had already surpassed the $1 billion mark in total value of apartments sold, and the number of transactions reached 17,053, which is 14.7% more than the previous year.

For foreign buyers, Batumi remains attractive due to a combination of a relatively low entry price, its seaside location, a high proportion of new projects, rental potential, and a relatively lenient real estate purchase regime. Against this backdrop, the city competes not only with Tbilisi but also with resort markets in Turkey, Montenegro, Bulgaria, and Cyprus.

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SKYUP AIRLINES LAUNCHES FLIGHTS FROM KHARKIV TO BATUMI, BURGAS, TEL AVIV, TBILISI

SkyUp Airlines during the summer navigation schedule in March-June 2020 will launch flights from Kharkiv to Batumi, Tbilisi (both Georgia), Burgas (Bulgaria) and Tel Aviv (Israel).
According to the press service of the company, in particular, flights from Kharkiv to Batumi will start on May 29, 2020. They will be serviced on Tuesdays and Fridays. The price of the one way ticket starts from UAH 1,900 without baggage.
Flights from Kharkiv to Burgas are planned from June 2, 2020. They will be performed on Tuesdays. The price of the one way ticket starts from UAH 1,600 without baggage.
Flights from Kharkiv to Tel Aviv will be launched from March 29, 2020. They will be serviced on Thursdays and Sundays. The price of the one way ticket starts from UAH 2,400 without baggage.
Flights from Kharkiv to Tbilisi are also planned from March 29, 2020. They will be performed on Mondays and Thursdays. The price of the one way ticket starts from UAH 1,800 without baggage.
SkyUp Airlines LLC was registered in Kyiv in June 2016. The founder is ACS-Ukraine LLC of Tetiana and Yuriy Alba, who also own the JoinUp! tour operator.

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MYWAY AIRLINES TO LAUNCH REGULAR FLIGHTS TO KHARKIV FROM TBILISI, BATUMI IN JUNE

New Georgia’s Myway Airlines will launch regular flights to Kharkiv from Tbilisi and Batumi in June 2018, the airline has reported.
The airline will fly on the Tbilisi-Kharkiv-Tbilisi route from June 12 twice a week (on Tuesdays and Saturdays) using Boeing 737-800 planes.
The regular Batumi-Kharkiv-Batumi flights will be also serviced by Boeing 737-800 twice a week – on Wednesdays and Saturdays – from June 13, 2018.
“We should say that Kharkiv would not be the only destination in Ukraine. By the end of this year the airline seeks to launch flights to Kyiv,” the airline said.
Myway Airlines’s fleet consists of two Boeing 737-800 planes. The airline will receive the third plan early July and the fourth in December.
Myway Airlines was founded in 2018. This is a project of China’s Hualing Group.

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