"As expected, real wage growth in Georgia has virtually stalled,” economist Giorgi Khishtovani wrote on Facebook, commenting on the latest wage statistics.
According to data published on September 15, the average monthly nominal wage in Georgia increased by GEL 177, or 8%, year-on-year, to GEL 2,389 in the second quarter of 2026. The figure includes income tax, putting the average wage after tax at approximately GEL 1,911.
Khishtovani said the data point to negative trends in the economy and a sharp slowdown in wage growth. He noted that, even based on the official inflation figures, real wage growth in Q2 2026 was no more than 2%, compared with nearly 17% in 2023 and almost 10% in 2024.
The economist also highlighted the lack of new job creation. Compared with the second quarter of 2024, the number of employed people fell by 22,600 in Q2 2026, while unemployment declined by only 600 people. “We have ended up with virtual economic growth that is no longer creating new jobs and is barely contributing to real wage growth in existing jobs,” Khishtovani said.
