Indexes
November 17, 2015 Kh-Index | Khachapuri index as a measure of real income across georgia
17
November
2015
Khachapuri index changes its value in different regions according to seasonal demand and supply peculiarities. The latter is affected by milk production cycles (low in fall and winter, high in spring and summer), Georgia’s religious calendar (e.g. the Great Lent), as well as the ups and downs in tourism.
Given khachapuri’s ubiquity, we used our index to estimate real income per capita for different Georgian locations, measured in khachapuri portions. We do so by dividing the average nominal income in each region (using the latest available GeoStat data from 2014) by the corresponding Kh-Index (average for the last 12 months). The result of this division stands for the number of (real) khachapuri portions a family can afford in each city of interest.
As can be seen from the chart, the wealthier Georgian regions are wealthier in both nominal and real terms. Not only does an average Tbilisi household enjoy a higher nominal income, but also – despite facing higher prices – it is able to maintain a higher level of consumption compared with other Georgian locations. Measured in khachapuri portions, the gap between the average households in Tbilisi and Telavi stands at exactly 100 portions per month.
Recent Publications
View All
March 2024 | Beginning of seasonal drop in Khachapuri Index
01
April
2024
In March 2024, the average cost of cooking one standard portion of Imeretian khachapuri stood at 6.40GEL. This latest average price marks a -1.8% decrease compared to March 2023. Additionally, in month-to-month developments, the price of khachapuri decreased by -6.4% compared to the previous month (February 2024).
February 2024 | The Khachapuri Index increases by 3.3%
04
March
2024
In February 2024, the average cost of cooking one standard portion of Imeretian khachapuri stood at 6.83 GEL, marking a 3.3% increase compared to the previous month. However, in a year-to-year comparison, the price of khachapuri decreased by 1.5% compared to February 2023.
January 2024 | Khachapuri Index continues its upward trend
29
January
2024
In January 2024, the average monthly cost of preparing one standard portion of Imeretian khachapuri increased, ranging between 6.40 GEL (Batumi) and 7.11 GEL (Tbilisi), with an overall average cost of 6.62 GEL. This recent average indicates a 2% increase compared to the preceding month of December 2023. While examining year-to-year trends, the current price of khachapuri is 4.6% lower than in January 2023.
December 2023 | The Khachapuri Index over the decade
28
December
2023
In December 2023, the average cost of preparing one standard Imeretian khachapuri experienced a slight increase, reaching 6.48 GEL. This signifies a 0.2% rise compared to November 2023 and a noteworthy -7.3% decrease compared to December 2022.
November 2023 | Khachapuri Index increased by 5.5%
27
November
2023
In November 2023, the average cost of preparing a standard portion of Imeretian Khachapuri continued its upward climb, reaching 6.47 GEL. This represents a 5.5% increase from the previous month (October 2023) and a 6.9% decrease compared to the same period last year (November 2022).
