Georgia’s living wage has increased by approximately 9% over the past six months, according to new figures provided by the Wage Indicator Foundation.
As of April 2024, the living wage in Georgia stood at 1,858 ₾ (679 USD) per month, which is an increase from 1,706 ₾ in October 2023. This figure represents the amount that one person should earn in a typical size family (“typical” being based on the national fertility rate) and the assumption of approximately 1.8 earners in the family. It is a national average, taking into account Tbilisi and all regions and averaging “high” and “low” estimates. The figures for Tbilisi, for example, are higher, with a range of 2,120 ₾ to 2,893 ₾ per month. The range for Imereti is lower at 1,482 ₾ to 1,812 ₾.
A living wage is a wage that allows workers to cover their basic needs and enjoy a decent standard of living. It should cover all necessary food, clothing, housing, education, health care, transportation and other essential needs – plus a bit left over for unexpected expenses. It should also be attainable by working normal hours at one job, without overtime. A living wage is not the same as a “subsistence wage,” which refers to the minimum wage a worker needs to merely survive. Nor is it the same as the minimum wage, which is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their employees by law.
By comparison, the current minimum wage in Georgia is 20 ₾ per month, or 1.1% of the living wage. The median wage is 1,040 ₾ per month in 2022, which are the most recent figures provided by the government. Meanwhile, Georgia’s “subsistence minimum” — defined as the minimum level of income necessary to purchase food and other basic personal needs at a level allowing an individual to survive — stood at 249.70 ₾ as of December 2023.
For more information on living wages in Georgia, see here.
For more information on Wage Indicator Foundation’s methodology for calculating living wages, see here.
