Is Kutaisi safe?
Quiet and safe. Roads, stray dogs and uneven pavements matter more than crime.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 4/5, safe with normal care.
- US travel advisory: Level 1: Exercise normal precautions, updated 2025-03-12.
- Homicide rate in Georgia: 2.0 per 100,000 people (2019, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths in Georgia: 12.4 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: All emergencies 112.
Safety in Kutaisi at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Crime | Petty theft is uncommon. Visitors mainly face overcharging by taxis at the airport and aggressive traffic. |
| At night | The center is calm and fine at night but many shops close early. Use Bolt for late airport trips. |
| Solo women | Comfortable for solo women. Late-night walking away from the center is quiet rather than threatening. |
| Other risks | Fast and careless drivers; Slippery cave and canyon walkways; Stray dogs on city outskirts |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Airport taxis quoting high flat prices instead of using Bolt
- Unlicensed drivers offering tours with inflated prices
Take care
- Roads outside the city: fast driving, few streetlights
- Wet stone steps near Bagrati hill and old town
Calmer areas to stay
Laws visitors break by accident
- Codeine and some prescription medicines are illegal; carry prescriptions and original packaging.
- Entering from Russia via Abkhazia or South Ossetia is a crime punishable by prison.
- Joining political protests can lead to questioning at exit or refused re-entry.
How Kutaisi compares in Georgia
Quick answers
Is Kutaisi safe for solo female travelers?
Comfortable for solo women. Late-night walking away from the center is quiet rather than threatening.
Is Kutaisi safe at night?
The center is calm and fine at night but many shops close early. Use Bolt for late airport trips.
What is the crime rate in Kutaisi?
Petty theft is uncommon. Visitors mainly face overcharging by taxis at the airport and aggressive traffic. Nationally, Georgia records 2.0 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2019).
What number do I call in an emergency in Kutaisi?
All emergencies 112.
More about Kutaisi
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Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- Georgian National Tourism Administration
- Bolt Kutaisi
- World Bank: intentional homicides (UNODC)
- World Bank: road traffic deaths (WHO)
Safety ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment from official advisories, crime data and local reporting. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.