The FINANCIAL — The average cost of cooking one standard Imeretian Khachapuri in the second month of 2019 decreased to 3.54 GEL, 2.2% lower month-on-month (in comparison to the previous month), and 3.5% lower year-on-year (compared to the same month of last year).
The Khachapuri Index is driven primarily by the price of cheese, the main ingredient in khachapuri. In February 2019, the cheese price declined in almost all large Georgian cities, relative to the same month of last year. The highest yearly price decrease (13.5%) of Imeretian cheese was recorded in the capital, Tbilisi. For Khachapuri lovers, Telavi is currently the most expensive city, with Tbilisi taking second place.
On average, the price of cheese stands at 7.85 GEL/kg, which is 3.4% lower than the previous month (January 2019), and 6.4% lower compared to the same month of last year (February 2018). This decrease is potentially associated with the reduction of trips by international travelers. According to the Georgian National Tourism Administration, in February 2019, the overall number of tourists in Georgia decreased by 0.4% and the number of same day trips by 10.7%, compared to the previous year.
