Exchange offices in Georgia
Currency exchange offices — small booths and the branches of microfinance organisations — are where most people in Georgia exchange cash. They work long hours, some around the clock, and they usually keep a narrower gap between the buy and sell rates than banks do, especially for US dollars and euros. Banks, in turn, offer higher limits, transfers and rates in their apps; see the bank comparison.
The difference between two offices is often only a few tetri per dollar, but on a larger amount it adds up — which is what the comparison above is for.
National Bank rules and your rights
Exchange offices in Georgia must be registered with the National Bank, which supervises them and can fine an office or cancel its registration. Its rule on the registration and regulation of currency exchange bureaus protects the customer:
- the buy and sell rates and any commission must be displayed where the customer can see them;
- the customer receives a receipt for every operation;
- within 30 minutes of receiving the receipt, the customer may come back with it and cancel an operation of up to 5,000 lari (a rule in force since 2019);
- a rate that deviates strongly from the official rate, or an unusually wide gap between buy and sell, has to be pointed out to the customer before the operation.
The register of exchange offices is published on the National Bank’s site. If an office refuses to give a receipt or applies a rate different from the one displayed, you can complain to the National Bank.
Two habits prevent almost every unpleasant surprise: read the rate on the board before handing over the money, and ask whether a commission is charged.
Which exchange offices are compared
Myvaluta.ge follows the exchange offices and microfinance organisations that publish their rates online, among them Rico Credit, Crystal, Valuto and Giro Credit. Each has its own page with every currency it quotes and a link to its official site.
Published rates are usually the rates of the head office or of the online channel; a particular branch, especially outside Tbilisi or at night, may quote a different one. Treat the numbers as a guide and confirm the rate at the counter.