👶 How to Find a Nanny in Tbilisi: Where to Look, What to Pay, What to Check

Leaving a child with a stranger is hard in any country, and in a new one especially: grandmothers are far away, the language is different, and there is nobody to ask. In Tbilisi the task is solvable. There are recruitment agencies that select domestic staff, online services with profiles, and a neighbour's good advice. The only question is which route to choose, how much to budget, and how to make sure the person can be trusted. That is what we'll talk about.

👶 Nanny, babysitter or governess: who to look for

These words are often mixed up, even though behind them are different services and different money. How you phrase your request affects both the price and the pool of candidates.

A babysitter comes for a few hours: while you are at dinner, at a doctor's appointment or at the airport. You expect attention, safety and a good mood for the child, not an educational programme. These are usually students and young people with flexible schedules.

A regular nanny works to a schedule, most often on weekdays from morning to evening. She feeds, walks, puts the child to sleep and knows which toy must not be lost under any circumstances. A nanny can be live-out or live-in. The second takes on nights too, so she costs noticeably more.

A night nanny is needed in the first months after birth, when parents simply need to sleep. A governess works with older children and adds lessons to childcare: language, reading, school preparation.

Decide on the format before you start searching. An ad saying "need a nanny" will attract everyone, while "nanny for a one-year-old, weekdays, 10:00 to 18:00, Saburtalo district" will filter out half the unnecessary replies right away.

🔎 Where to look for a nanny in Tbilisi

There are four channels, and each has its own price: in some you pay with money, in others with time.

Agencies. The best known of those that deal with domestic staff is called BAIA. It has offices in Tbilisi and Batumi, and its list of services includes nannies, governesses, caregivers, home helpers and drivers. There are also small boutique agencies that specialise only in newborn nannies and night care. The advantage of an agency is that you describe the task once and then look at ready candidates.

Platforms. On the international platform Babysits, profiles are open to view, but only people who have confirmed their identity can message each other. The profile shows whether the person has uploaded a criminal record certificate and whether they have reviews. On Supersitter, families' ads are posted alongside nanny profiles, so you can both search and wait for replies. Russian-speaking families know the Kidsout service: it claims a multi-stage selection of sitters with an interview by psychologists. Its site does not publish rates in lari, so check availability and price in the app.

Ads and social networks. Most nanny vacancies and résumés sit on Georgian classified sites in the section for nannies and caregivers. Many families search in Facebook groups: in Georgia it is still the main social network for everyday questions. The flow is large, but you will have to filter it yourself, and often in Georgian.

Recommendations. Ask in your building's chat, among parents at the playground, your paediatrician. Doctors see dozens of families and often know who has become free. Our directory of children's clinics and doctors in Tbilisi will help you find yours.

💰 How much a nanny costs in Tbilisi in 2026

There is no single tariff, and the spread in ads is large. But if you set aside the extremes, the picture is quite clear.

Data collected in September and October 2026. Monthly amounts are given as they are written in vacancies, that is, this is the money the nanny receives.

Why do the numbers vary so much? Four things affect the rate. The child's age: the younger, the more expensive, and for two children people pay more than for one. The schedule: evenings, weekends and nights are paid higher. Language: a nanny with fluent English or Russian may ask for more. Duties: if cooking for the family and cleaning are added to childcare, it is a different job at a different price.

Note the difference between the rows. The hourly rate on a platform is almost twice as high as in families' ads. The reason is simple: platforms have more young sitters with English who take short bookings, while in ads families look for a person for a long time and a full day.

To judge whether this is a lot or a little, compare it with incomes in the city. According to our overview of salaries in Georgia, a day nanny earns a sum close to the average take-home salary. How this expense fits into a family budget is shown in our breakdown of the cost of living in Georgia.

🧾 How much an agency charges and what is included

An agency earns on commission, and it is usually paid by the family. Here is how it looks in the open price list of one of the large domestic staff agencies:

Terms as of October 2026, and other agencies may differ.

Before signing, ask three things. Which documents the agency checks itself and which it leaves to you. What counts as a guarantee case and how quickly a replacement will be sent. And who pays if the trial week doesn't work out. A good agency answers this without hesitation.

It is important to understand the limit of responsibility. The agency searches and introduces, but you remain the employer. You discuss pay, schedule and house rules with the nanny directly.

🛡️ How to check a nanny before hiring

A check does not offend a good professional. Experienced nannies bring a folder of documents and former families' phone numbers themselves. What should alert you is the opposite: when a simple request to see a passport meets irritation.

The most useful point here is the fourth. A written reference means little, while a live conversation with another mother tells you everything in five minutes. Ask how the nanny behaved when the child was ill, whether she was late, and how she reacted to remarks. If the previous family answers evasively or the phone "wasn't saved," that is also an answer.

At the interview, ask a couple of situational questions. What will you do if the child chokes? If he falls and cries and I'm not picking up the phone? If he refuses to eat? You don't expect the right wording. What matters is that you see the person thinking about safety rather than panicking.

📄 A criminal record certificate in Georgia: how to get one

In Georgia this is an ordinary document and it is not hard to get. Asking for it from a nanny is normal, and on platforms the mark for the certificate sits right in the profile.

Data as of October 2026. A simple conclusion follows from the table: the nanny brings the certificate herself, and it cannot be obtained behind a person's back. The short validity works in your favour. A document issued this week shows the current situation, not what it was three years ago.

If the nanny came from another country, the Georgian certificate will show only what is known here. In that case it is reasonable to ask for a document from her home country as well.

🗣️ A Russian-speaking, English-speaking or Georgian nanny

Most nannies in Tbilisi are, of course, Georgian women. Women of the older generation often speak Russian well, and for a Russian-speaking family this is the simplest option. On platforms, young sitters more often speak English, and profiles also include German, Armenian and other languages.

A Georgian-speaking nanny is more of a gift than an obstacle for a child: children pick up the language quickly, and they will need it at the playground and in kindergarten anyway. A few phrases are enough for parents in daily life, and you can collect them from a phrasebook for beginners.

Foreign nannies are a separate matter. Since 1 March 2026, a foreigner without permanent residence who works in Georgia needs the right to labour activity. A nanny who came from another country and works for a family falls under this rule. A fine is set for working without a permit, and it threatens both sides. Before hiring a compatriot, check her status. We explained how the permit works in our guide to working in Georgia as a foreigner.

✍️ Do you need a contract with a nanny and what to put in it

In practice many families agree verbally, and while everything is fine this bothers nobody. Problems start with the first illness, the first holiday and the first hour of lateness. So write the terms down on at least one page and both sign it. This is not about distrust, it is about memory: in three months you will each remember the agreements differently.

What to record. Schedule and overtime: what time the nanny arrives and leaves and what an hour beyond the norm costs. Duties: only the child, or also the child's dishes, laundry, cooking. Pay: the amount, the payday, cash or transfer. Sick days and holidays: whether you pay when the child is ill and the nanny isn't needed, and what happens if she falls ill. House rules: the phone during walks, guests, sweets, cartoons. Photos: whether the child may be photographed and to whom they may be sent. Parting: how many days' notice each side gives.

If you install a camera in the flat, say so at once. Hidden surveillance spoils a relationship more than anything found on a recording, while an honest warning is usually accepted calmly.

🚩 Red flags: when it is better to say no

Intuition works better than any checklist when choosing a nanny, but there are signs you shouldn't explain away as tiredness.

The person can't name a single family where she worked, or gets confused about dates. She refuses to show documents or promises to bring them "later." She speaks only badly of former employers. At the interview she looks at her phone, not at the child. She accepts any conditions without asking a single question about the child. A good professional will always ask about routine, allergies and habits.

And watch the child in the first weeks. A little one won't tell you he feels bad, but he will show it: through sleep, appetite and how he greets the nanny in the morning. Two days of tears at parting is normal. Fear and withdrawal that don't go away are already a reason for a conversation.

🏫 A nanny or kindergarten: which to choose

Kindergarten is cheaper and gives the child time with peers. A nanny costs more but follows your schedule and stays with the little one when he has a cold. For children under two, families more often choose a nanny, and for older ones they often combine: kindergarten in the morning, a nanny for a few hours in the evening.

There is also a middle path people forget: a shared nanny. Two families from the same building hire one person and split the costs. The children have more fun, the parents have an easier time, and the nanny earns more than from one family.

Tell us on Madloba how you looked for a nanny in Tbilisi: which channel worked, how much you pay and what you would advise people to look at. Your experience will save other parents more than one week.

How current this is. This guide was checked in October 2026. Rates are taken from open listings and price lists for September and October 2026, and agency terms and fees may change.