Real wage growth in Georgia has slowed significantly in recent years, according to economist Giorgi Khishtovani, who says the trend reflects a broader cooling of the post-2022 economic boom.
Khishtovani notes that after averaging around 13% in 2023–2024, real wage growth - adjusted for inflation - has fallen below 5% in the first quarter of 2026, indicating a threefold slowdown over three years. He argues that the strong wage growth seen in previous years was a key political and economic stabilizer but is now fading.
He links the earlier expansion to extraordinary economic conditions following the Russia-Ukraine war, which boosted Georgia’s economy between 2022 and 2024. However, he says this cycle is now nearing its end, with signs of weakening job creation and slower income growth becoming more visible since 2025.
Official data from Geostat shows that in Q1 2026, the average monthly nominal salary increased by 9% year-on-year to GEL 2,364. After taxes, the net average salary stands at GEL 1,891.
