The Price Map: Same Car, 12 Different Price Tags
An analysis of 18,790 listings across 12 Georgian cities reveals a 14x price gap between the cheapest and most expensive locations — and shows why chasing the lowest sticker price is almost always a mistake.
Listings by City
Twelve Markets, One Country
Georgia's auto market is not one market — it's at least twelve. Each city has developed a distinct role in the import-to-sale pipeline. An analysis of 18,790 listings from the past six weeks reveals a clear hierarchy: Tbilisi leads with 8,526 listings, followed by Borjomi (4,642), Marneuli (2,488), and Batumi (759).
But listing counts only tell half the story. Median prices range from $1,116 in Borjomi to $15,150 in Tskaltubo — a 14x gap for cars listed in the same country on the same day. The explanation isn't price gouging. Each city occupies a different position in the import pipeline, and the "same car" in two cities is almost never the same car.
Twelve Markets, One Country
Georgia's auto market is not one market — it's at least twelve. Each city has developed a distinct role in the import-to-sale pipeline. An analysis of 18,790 listings from the past six weeks reveals a clear hierarchy: Tbilisi leads with 8,526 listings, followed by Borjomi (4,642), Marneuli (2,488), and Batumi (759).
But listing counts only tell half the story. Median prices range from $1,116 in Borjomi to $15,150 in Tskaltubo — a 14x gap for cars listed in the same country on the same day. The explanation isn't price gouging. Each city occupies a different position in the import pipeline, and the "same car" in two cities is almost never the same car.
Listings by City
The Price Index: Where Is It Cheap — and Why?
We indexed median prices across all 12 cities against Tbilisi (= 100). Tskaltubo tops the chart at 134 and Samtredia at 132 — both above the capital. At the bottom: Borjomi at just 10, where the typical listing costs 90% less than in Tbilisi.
The pattern maps cleanly to customs status. Borjomi (0% cleared, 92% under $5,000) is an auction import depot — US salvage vehicles listed at bid prices. Marneuli (0% cleared) is a similar warehouse, but at higher price points. Tskaltubo (7% cleared, median $15,150) and Samtredia (16% cleared, median $14,900) are premium transit hubs for newer, higher-value uncleared imports. On the other end, Kutaisi (82% cleared, avg age 12.4), Rustavi (80% cleared), and Khashuri (72% cleared) are domestic bazaars with older, registered vehicles.
The Price Index: Where Is It Cheap — and Why?
We indexed median prices across all 12 cities against Tbilisi (= 100). Tskaltubo tops the chart at 134 and Samtredia at 132 — both above the capital. At the bottom: Borjomi at just 10, where the typical listing costs 90% less than in Tbilisi.
The pattern maps cleanly to customs status. Borjomi (0% cleared, 92% under $5,000) is an auction import depot — US salvage vehicles listed at bid prices. Marneuli (0% cleared) is a similar warehouse, but at higher price points. Tskaltubo (7% cleared, median $15,150) and Samtredia (16% cleared, median $14,900) are premium transit hubs for newer, higher-value uncleared imports. On the other end, Kutaisi (82% cleared, avg age 12.4), Rustavi (80% cleared), and Khashuri (72% cleared) are domestic bazaars with older, registered vehicles.
Price Spread by Model (%)
The Arbitrage Mirage: Sticker Price vs. Landed Cost
The headline spreads are staggering — over 1,000% between Borjomi and Samtredia for some models. But once we add the average customs duty ($913–$1,224 depending on city) and compare by vehicle year, the picture changes completely. A $1,116 Borjomi listing is a salvage-title shell; a $14,900 Samtredia listing is a recent import ready for registration.
| Model | Cheapest | Most Expensive | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra | $1,000Borjomi | $14,500Kaspi | +693.5%$13,474 |
| Toyota RAV 4 | $1,861Borjomi | $17,800Samtredia | +660.1%$16,271 |
| Toyota Camry | $1,861Borjomi | $16,750Samtredia | +596.2%$15,174 |
| BMW X5 | $1,116Borjomi | $15,800Samtredia | +559.2%$13,403 |
| Subaru Crosstrek | $1,116Borjomi | $11,500Tskaltubo | +530.8%$10,463 |
| Subaru Forester | $1,116Borjomi | $11,600Samtredia | +496%$10,649 |
| Volkswagen Jetta | $1,303Borjomi | $11,900Samtredia | +465%$10,342 |
| Toyota Corolla | $1,861Borjomi | $10,300Tbilisi | +345.5%$7,988 |
| Ford Fusion | $1,116Borjomi | $7,000Kaspi | +328.4%$5,366 |
| Toyota Prius | $5,500Batumi | $6,350Rustavi | +15.5%$850 |
The real test: same model, same year, cleared vs. uncleared in the same city. Our year-matched analysis shows that in most cases, buying uncleared and paying customs is more expensive than buying an already-cleared equivalent. The exceptions exist but require careful model-by-model comparison — the "customs discount" is not the universal bargain many buyers assume.
The Arbitrage Mirage: Sticker Price vs. Landed Cost
The headline spreads are staggering — over 1,000% between Borjomi and Samtredia for some models. But once we add the average customs duty ($913–$1,224 depending on city) and compare by vehicle year, the picture changes completely. A $1,116 Borjomi listing is a salvage-title shell; a $14,900 Samtredia listing is a recent import ready for registration.
| Model | Cheapest | Most Expensive | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Elantra | $1,000Borjomi | $14,500Kaspi | +693.5%$13,474 |
| Toyota RAV 4 | $1,861Borjomi | $17,800Samtredia | +660.1%$16,271 |
| Toyota Camry | $1,861Borjomi | $16,750Samtredia | +596.2%$15,174 |
| BMW X5 | $1,116Borjomi | $15,800Samtredia | +559.2%$13,403 |
| Subaru Crosstrek | $1,116Borjomi | $11,500Tskaltubo | +530.8%$10,463 |
| Subaru Forester | $1,116Borjomi | $11,600Samtredia | +496%$10,649 |
| Volkswagen Jetta | $1,303Borjomi | $11,900Samtredia | +465%$10,342 |
| Toyota Corolla | $1,861Borjomi | $10,300Tbilisi | +345.5%$7,988 |
| Ford Fusion | $1,116Borjomi | $7,000Kaspi | +328.4%$5,366 |
| Toyota Prius | $5,500Batumi | $6,350Rustavi | +15.5%$850 |
The real test: same model, same year, cleared vs. uncleared in the same city. Our year-matched analysis shows that in most cases, buying uncleared and paying customs is more expensive than buying an already-cleared equivalent. The exceptions exist but require careful model-by-model comparison — the "customs discount" is not the universal bargain many buyers assume.
Price Spread by Model (%)
Median Landed Price — Top Models by City ($)
Same Model, Different Worlds
When we compare the top models across cities using landed prices (sticker + customs for uncleared, sticker for cleared), the headline spreads collapse. What looked like geographic arbitrage turns out to be a comparison of fundamentally different inventory — auction salvage versus retail-ready vehicles.
Genuine savings do exist for specific model-city combinations, but they require matching on year and condition. Buyers who do this homework can save thousands; buyers who chase the lowest sticker price across cities often end up paying more once customs, repairs, and registration are factored in.
Same Model, Different Worlds
When we compare the top models across cities using landed prices (sticker + customs for uncleared, sticker for cleared), the headline spreads collapse. What looked like geographic arbitrage turns out to be a comparison of fundamentally different inventory — auction salvage versus retail-ready vehicles.
Genuine savings do exist for specific model-city combinations, but they require matching on year and condition. Buyers who do this homework can save thousands; buyers who chase the lowest sticker price across cities often end up paying more once customs, repairs, and registration are factored in.
Median Landed Price — Top Models by City ($)
City DNA — Market Composition (%)
City DNA: Every City Has a Role
The data reveals three distinct market archetypes. Import Warehouses (Borjomi: 0% cleared, 92% budget; Marneuli: 0% cleared; In Transit: 0% cleared) hold uncleared inventory at various price points. Premium Transit Hubs (Tskaltubo: 7% cleared, median $15,150; Samtredia: 16% cleared, median $14,900) specialize in newer, higher-value imports awaiting buyers or re-export.
Domestic Bazaars (Kutaisi: 82% cleared, age 12.4; Rustavi: 80%, age 12.3; Khashuri: 72%, age 13.4) are where Georgians buy daily drivers — old, high-mileage, already registered. Tbilisi is the sole Mixed Market: 67% cleared, every price segment represented, the only city where cleared and uncleared inventory compete head-to-head at scale. Batumi (86% cleared, age 11.1) is a regional port market with its own dynamics. Poti (30% cleared) bridges the gap as a port-adjacent hub.
City DNA: Every City Has a Role
The data reveals three distinct market archetypes. Import Warehouses (Borjomi: 0% cleared, 92% budget; Marneuli: 0% cleared; In Transit: 0% cleared) hold uncleared inventory at various price points. Premium Transit Hubs (Tskaltubo: 7% cleared, median $15,150; Samtredia: 16% cleared, median $14,900) specialize in newer, higher-value imports awaiting buyers or re-export.
Domestic Bazaars (Kutaisi: 82% cleared, age 12.4; Rustavi: 80%, age 12.3; Khashuri: 72%, age 13.4) are where Georgians buy daily drivers — old, high-mileage, already registered. Tbilisi is the sole Mixed Market: 67% cleared, every price segment represented, the only city where cleared and uncleared inventory compete head-to-head at scale. Batumi (86% cleared, age 11.1) is a regional port market with its own dynamics. Poti (30% cleared) bridges the gap as a port-adjacent hub.
City DNA — Market Composition (%)
Key Takeaways
Sticker prices are meaningless across cities. A $1,116 listing in Borjomi and a $14,900 listing in Samtredia are completely different products — one is a salvage-title auction lot, the other is a recent import ready for plates. The 14x price gap reflects pipeline position, not value.
The "customs discount" is mostly a myth. In the majority of year-matched comparisons, buying uncleared and paying duties costs more than buying an already-cleared equivalent. The exceptions require careful model-by-model, year-by-year homework.
Every city serves a function. Borjomi and Marneuli are import warehouses. Tskaltubo and Samtredia are premium transit hubs. Kutaisi, Rustavi, and Khashuri are domestic bazaars. Understanding which market you're shopping in matters more than the number on the windshield.
Methodology
AutoBridge listing database — aggregated from major Georgian automotive marketplaces. City field reflects seller-registered location.
18,790 passenger vehicle listings with prices above $300, across 12 cities with 100+ listings each.
February 1 — March 19, 2026. Customs costs computed using the Georgian excise formula (RS.GE) at a rate of 2.7 GEL/USD.