👵 Retiring in Georgia: State Pension, Russian Pension and Budget

Georgia is often chosen for retirement: a mild climate, Russian spoken in everyday life, inexpensive groceries and a year without a visa. But the Georgian pension is stricter than it looks: a foreigner is awarded it only after a long residence in the country, and the sum is modest even for locals. Below we cover who can receive a pension in Georgia, how much it pays in 2026, how to receive a Russian pension while living in Tbilisi or Batumi, and how much money a retiree needs per month. General figures on salaries and pensions are collected in the answer what salaries and pensions are like in Georgia.

👵 Can a foreigner receive a Georgian pension

Yes, but the condition is strict. The Law of Georgia on State Pension applies to citizens of Georgia, to stateless persons with status in Georgia, and to foreigners who have lived in Georgia lawfully for the last 10 years at the time of applying. Tourist visa-free stay does not count towards this period as permanent residence: you need a confirmed lawful status, which in practice means a residence permit.

The retirement age is the same for everyone: 65 for men and 60 for women. A pension is not paid while a person is in paid public service.

What else you should know under the law:

• the pension is paid on the territory of Georgia;
• if you do not collect it for 6 months in a row, payment is suspended, and 3 years after the suspension it is terminated altogether;
• payment ends if a foreigner is expelled from Georgia;
• the pensioner must report any circumstance that ends payment within 15 days.

Pensions are awarded and paid by the Social Service Agency. This is also where people go to find out whether they have enough years of lawful residence.

💰 Pension amount in Georgia in 2026

From 1 January 2026 the pension rose by 20 ₾ for people under 70. Older people and residents of high-mountain villages are paid more.

For comparison: according to a Moorepay study published in March 2026, the state pension in Georgia covers only 22% of a pensioner’s basic expenses. That is the lowest figure among the 39 European countries studied. So even local pensioners usually get by with help from their children, side income or by renting out property.

🏦 Funded pension: who it applies to

Since 2019 Georgia has had a funded pension system. Every month three contributions go into a worker’s personal pension account:

• 2% of salary is paid by the employee;
• 2% is added by the employer;
• 2% is added by the state (1% if annual income is between 24,000 and 60,000 ₾; above 60,000 ₾ the state does not contribute).

Participation is mandatory for working citizens of Georgia and for foreigners with a permanent residence permit. Foreigners without permanent residence are exempt from mandatory contributions, but may take part voluntarily. The savings are paid out monthly after retirement age.

You can check your savings with your personal number in the Pension Agency’s account at pensions.ge.

🇷🇺 How to receive a Russian pension while living in Georgia

There is no pension agreement between Russia and Georgia, so a Russian pension does not transfer into a Georgian one and is not added to it. The insurance pension continues to be paid to those who have moved abroad. But the social pension ends when you move abroad permanently: it is paid only to people who live permanently in Russia.

Money from a Russian account is moved to Georgia in the usual ways: a transfer to a Georgian account, money transfer systems, or a cash withdrawal. We explained which methods work and why a bank may delay a transfer in the article on money transfers to Georgia, and you can read about opening an account in the article opening an account at a Georgian bank.

Pensions from other countries. Pensioners from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and EU countries also receive payments under the rules of their own country. The general principle is similar: an account at home or abroad and regular confirmation that you are alive. Check the exact procedure with your country’s pension authority or its consulate.

Taxes. Georgia taxes individuals on a territorial basis: income from a foreign source is, as a rule, not subject to Georgian tax. A foreign pension falls under this principle, but if your situation is complicated (several sources of income, tax residency in two countries), check it with a tax adviser.

🛂 How a retiree can stay in Georgia

There is no separate visa or residence permit for pensioners in Georgia. There are two main routes.

Visa-free stay. Citizens of most countries, including Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and EU countries, can stay in Georgia for up to 365 days without a visa. Many retirees live this way: a year in Georgia, then leaving and re-entering. Each time the decision on entry is made by the border officer, and from 2026 a tourist must have medical insurance. For more on entry rules, read the article who needs a visa for Georgia.

Residence permit through property. An owner of housing in Georgia can obtain a temporary residence permit. From 1 March 2026 the threshold rose: the market value of the property must be at least $150,000 (previously $100,000). The property must not be agricultural, the value is confirmed by an accredited appraiser, and several properties can be added together. The permit is renewed every year and extends to the spouse and children. Those who obtained a permit under the old threshold renew it on the previous terms while they own that property.

There are other grounds too: kinship with a Georgian citizen, work, individual entrepreneurship. All the options are collected in the article residence permit in Georgia: documents and timing. If you ever count on a Georgian pension, it is lawful status that counts towards those same 10 years.

🏥 Healthcare and insurance for a retiree

Georgia’s state universal healthcare programme is intended for citizens of the country. A foreign retiree will almost always have to pay for treatment themselves or buy private insurance. Policies for people over 65 are noticeably more expensive, and some insurers have an age limit, so compare the terms in advance.

From 1 January 2026 all tourists need a medical policy and accident insurance for the whole length of their stay. The requirements:

• coverage of at least 30,000 ₾;
• the policy names the territory of Georgia and the dates of the whole trip, including the days of entry and exit;
• the policy is in Georgian or English, on paper or electronic, from a Georgian or foreign company.

Private clinics and polyclinics in Tbilisi are collected in the directory of medical centers in Tbilisi. The best choice of doctors and equipment is in Tbilisi and Batumi; in smaller towns the choice is noticeably more modest.

🧾 How much money a retiree needs to live

The Georgian pension alone is not enough to live on, even without rent. A foreign retiree who rents a home should plan for a sum several times larger.

A detailed breakdown of prices with a budget and a comfortable option is in the article how much a month in Georgia costs. Why you get several bills for utilities is explained in the article on utility bills in Georgia, and how to cut food costs is covered in the piece on saving on food.

🎟 Benefits for pensioners: what exists and what does not

The main thing to understand: almost all benefits in Georgia are tied to Georgian pensioner status, not to age.

• Travel in Tbilisi. Pensioners pay 20 tetri instead of 1 ₾, but the benefit works only with Georgian documents. A foreign pensioner pays the full fare. For more on fares, see the answer how much is public transport in Tbilisi.
• Medicines and healthcare. State programmes for pensioners are intended for citizens of Georgia.
• Discounts in shops and pharmacies. These turn up with the loyalty cards of individual chains, but that is the decision of a specific shop, not the law.

🏡 Where to live in Georgia in retirement

If a loved one needs round-the-clock care, private care homes operate in Tbilisi: you can find them in the directory of nursing homes and shelters in Tbilisi.

Living in Georgia on a pension? Tell us in the comments which city you settled in, how much you spend per month and how you receive your pension: we update the article with your experience.

Last updated: October 2026. Pension amounts, residence permit rules and insurance requirements are given as of this date and may change. Check how your own country’s pension is paid with its pension authority.