When starting a renovation, one of the most frequent questions is: “How much does wall finishing / painting cost?”. Preparing and painting the walls determines 70% of the apartment’s visual appearance, so cutting costs at this stage often means losing quality. In 2025, prices in the renovation market changed significantly.
Why Has Wall Finishing (Malyarka) Become More Expensive? (Official Statistics)
If you think that price increases are driven only by rising material costs, you are mistaken. According to Geostat’s 2025 data, the price dynamics in the construction sector are as follows:
- Wage Spike: The average monthly nominal wage for employees in construction and renovation increased by 16.2% annually. This means that the labor of a qualified craftsman costs significantly more today.
- Material Stability: During the same period, the price of construction materials increased by only 3.0%.
- Overall Index: The Construction Cost Index is up by 25.2% compared to February 2022.This statistics clearly demonstrates: the increase in the renovation budget is mainly caused by the rise in labor prices.The data is based on the October 2025 report from the official website of the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat). To view the Construction Cost Index, visit the link.
Wall Finishing Job Prices (Market Average, December 2025)
To accurately determine your budget, you need to know what “malyarka” consists of. Below are the average prices in Tbilisi: the price of wall finishing varies between old renovations and standard green frame apartments:
| Service | Old Renovation Price | Green Frame Price |
| Wall finishing (Wallpaper installation) | 25-30 GEL | 20-25 GEL |
| Wall finishing (Painting with non-woven liner installation) | 25-35 GEL | 20-30 GEL |
| Linear meter | 0-25 GEL | 0-20 GEL |
It is important to keep this in mind when negotiating the price. In addition to calculating the square meters, check whether a linear meter rate is payable extra. It is common for painters to charge additional linear meter rates for installing corner beads (in an apartment where the walls form 90-degree external corners, corner beads must be installed). In such cases, the painter might mean any fixed amount such as 5, 10, or 15 GEL, or it could be exactly the same rate you agreed upon per square meter.
How much does wall finishing labor cost per square meter?
In the case of plasterboard (gypsum board), the wall finishing price:
When plasterboard is installed on the ceiling, the wall finishing surface area is approximately 3.5 to 4 times greater than the floor square footage, which averages per square meter of floor space:
- In an old renovation apartment: 120 – 180 GEL
- In a green frame apartment: 100 – 150 GEL
In the case of a stretch ceiling (French ceiling or Barrisol), the wall finishing price:
When a stretch ceiling is installed, the ceiling no longer needs painting, which reduces the wall finishing price per square meter of floor space. In this scenario, the wall finishing surface area is 2.5 to 3 times greater than the apartment’s floor square footage, which averages per square meter of floor space:
- In an old renovation apartment: 100 – 150 GEL
- In a green frame apartment: 80 – 130 GEL
What influences the price of wall finishing?
- Wall Condition: In old buildings, leveling the walls (plastering) is often necessary, which increases the cost.
- Lighting: If you are installing modern lighting that illuminates the wall from the side, you need the so-called Q4 quality puttying, which is 30-40% more expensive than usual.
- Material Quality: Low-quality paint often requires 3 coats, which also increases labor expenses.
How to Save and Calculate Correctly?
Due to the constant fluctuation of prices, it is difficult to determine a budget off the top of your head. This is exactly why greencolor.ge was created. Our platform allows you to calculate the exact cost of wall finishing and other renovation stages in a few seconds, taking into account current market rates, as our team monitors prices weekly. If you are planning a renovation, calculate the renovation prices using our Renovation Calculator.