Looking for reliable ATMs in Georgia that work well with foreign debit/credit cards and dont charge crazy fees. Any recos will be highly appreciated.
On my trip to Georgia, I used mainly TBC Bank ATMs. My Revolut card worked perfectly with a limit of 1000 GEL per transaction, and the fee was 5 GEL. Bank of Georgia was also reliable, and their ATMs dispensed clean GEL notes, which are easier to use for taxis and markets, fee was 3 GEL. I noticed Liberty Bank had smaller limits, which was frustrating when I needed cash for guesthouses in Kazbegi. Overall, I found Georgia’s ATM network traveler-friendly, but carrying a backup card is always smart.
Not every Georgian ATM works smoothly with foreign cards. Liberty Bank rejected my HSBC debit twice in Kutaisi, and even when it worked, the limit was only 500 GEL. Plus fee was like 20 GEL!!!! Bank of Georgia charged me around 3 GEL per withdrawal, which isn’t much, but it adds up if you need cash often. Some ATMs in rural areas also ran out of cash quickly on weekends. Always withdraw in bigger cities like Tbilisi or Batumi before heading to mountain regions. And avoid choosing USD/EUR conversion at the ATM - it’s a scam with terrible rates.
I loved how easy it was to withdraw money in Georgia compared to some neighboring countries. At Bank of Georgia ATMs in Batumi, I withdrew 1500 GEL with my Monzo card, and the fee was just 3 GEL. TBC Bank was also not bad - their machines accepted my Revolut Mastercard with no hiccups and allowed up to 1000 GEL in one go with a 5 GEL fee. That was enough to cover taxis, wine tours, and restaurant bills for several days. Both banks had machines in safe, central locations, which gave me peace of mind.
In Georgia, TBC Bank and Bank of Georgia are the most foreign-card-friendly. I used my Wise Visa card in Tbilisi, and the withdrawal limit was 1000 GEL per transaction. The ATM fee was about 3 GEL, which is less than $1 USD. Liberty Bank ATMs are also common, but they sometimes limit withdrawals to 400-500 GEL, which is inconvenient and also a massvi 20 GEL fee. Stick to TBC or Bank of Georgia for higher limits. Most ATMs offer English instructions, and the machines in airports and city centers are the most reliable. Some others which were a rip off were Halyk Bank - charged like 10 GEL for 2000 GEL withdrawal and Procredit was worse - 8 euros for a 500 euros withdrawal.
Also don't every withdraw USD from the ATM - fees are like 10 to 15 dollars for every 500 dollar withdrawa.