Currency and Exchange in Tunisia

hi there, I’m heading to Tunisia 🙂 from April 27 to May 8 with my family. I’ve read through the various discussions about the country, but I’m still a bit unsure🤪: for currency exchange, I saw on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website that withdrawing currency with a bank card from ATMs is limited to 200 TND per week. There are four of us traveling by car, so that might be a bit tight! And it’s a hassle to carry a lot of cash, even if I’m not being paranoid! What do you all recommend? Cheers, Laurent.

Hi there,

I suggest you bring your credit card, some cash, or traveler’s checks! You can pay by credit card in some restaurants, shops, and of course in hotels. The most convenient payment method is CASH in Tunisian dinars. If you withdraw money from ATMs, yes, it’s true—it’s borderline, and don’t forget the high fees charged on credit or debit cards. You might get a surprise when you get home and have to pay your bills!

Have a great day.

Hi there,

Just a reminder that 200 dinars is roughly the monthly minimum wage here. A month’s salary for many Tunisian families. So it’s a lot of money if you plan to spend it in a week! Actually, it really depends on you and what you’ll spend per week.

Have a great day!

Good evening Laurent,

I understand your hesitation about carrying a lot of cash with you. But personally, I do this every year. I order large bills from my bank and hide them in my car (you’ll have to find a super discreet spot). Then, once in Tunisia, I exchange everything at a currency exchange office or a bank, and it goes very smoothly. Now, maybe you don’t need such a large sum... Is your hotel already paid for? Do you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing? Are you more into restaurants or just grabbing a casual sandwich?

Good luck to you and have a great vacation!

Betam 67

PS: Whereabouts are you planning to go?

Thanks betam and honnete, To be honest, I have no idea what budget we’ll need. I haven’t booked anything there yet. We’re taking a little 10-day tour of Tunisia, following some guidebook tips and going with the flow day by day. For hotels, we’re leaning modest, same for food: picnics at lunch and small restaurants in the evening. But hey, there are four of us, including two teens (they eat a lot at that age!!! 🙂). The trip: we’ll arrive by boat in Tunis, then it’s up to the weather. A little tour of Cap Bon, or maybe head south to get close to the desert without actually going in—we don’t have the right gear. We want to see some oases, the chotts, and probably make a detour to the coast while avoiding concrete jungles as much as possible. Don’t hesitate to share your tips. Thanks again. Have a great day. laurent

Hi there,

To possibly help you estimate your budget, here are some price ranges I’ve noted (but these are just my own experiences, of course! 😉)

Budget hotel: around 25-35 DT for two

For picnics, you can find sandwiches everywhere (well-stuffed with fries) for between 1 and 2 DT, or chapatis or doughnuts in the same price range.

Bottle of water: 500 millimes, sometimes marked up to 1 DT or 1.5 DT in touristy spots (but just head to the street behind to find a little shop with the right price!)

Meal in a simple restaurant: starter (brick, soup, salad) from 2 DT, main dish around 5-7 DT. Drink about 1 DT. So around 10 DT per person to enjoy it fully.

Mint tea (mandatory at least twice a day! 😉). The price varies here too, but should stay between 250 and 500 millimes. Sometimes 1 DT in busy places...

So with four people, 200 DT goes fast...

Happy planning and safe travels! Douya

Thanks a bunch for your info!

I withdrew 300 DT in one go last week, no problem! But watch out for fees (last time I had 7 € in fees for a 200 DT withdrawal—that’s like 130 €!)

Thanks for your reply. ATM withdrawal fees depend on the bank. Mine (Caisse d'Epargne) charges a 2.80% commission + 3.10 € per transaction. All in all, it’s really not cheap! Best, Laurent.

Hi,

For exchanging a large sum like that, it's worth comparing banks first—the exchange rates vary quite a bit between institutions in Tunisia, and the difference adds up fast on big amounts.

I use Saraf.tn; this site compares real-time buy/sell rates from all Tunisian banks, updated daily.

Hi SarafTn, the message you're replying to is from April 2006! After 20 years, I think they’ve found an answer to their question...