The average cost of cooking one standard Imeretian khachapuri in February 2017 is 3.66 GEL, which is 0.2% lower month-on-month (compared to the previous month), and 6.2% higher year-on-year (that is, compared to the same month of last year). The highest price for khachapuri is found in Kutaisi, where the price stands at 3.95 GEL. Telavi took second place with 3.59 GEL. Batumi and Tbilisi followed closely with 3.55 GEL and 3.53, respectively. The price variation between the most expensive city (Kutaisi) and the cheapest one (Tbilisi) reached 0.42 GEL - a big difference. According to the Kh-index data, Kutaisi continues as the leader in terms of higher prices for the last three months.

The main contributor to the Kh-Index y/y increase was the price of cheese, which has gone up by 12.1%. Cheese prices were highest in Kutaisi (9.6 GEL), which is 1.1% higher compared to January 2016, and 30% higher compared to last year’s level.

This large shift in cheese prices in Kutaisi can be associated with increasing demand for dairy products and khachapuri. According to the Georgian National Tourism Administration, the number of tourists visiting the country went up by 19.8% in January 2017, as compared to last year (January 2016). Also, the number of flights at Kutaisi International Airport increased by 121% in January 2017, compared to the previous year (January 2016).