Just Landed in Tunisia? Your First 7 Days

Mobile data is cheap and 4G is solid across cities and the coastal strip, with 5G rolling out slowly in parts of Tunis. Fixed home internet exists as ADSL or fibre through Topnet, Orange and Ooredoo, but installation and line activation can take one to several weeks, so most newcomers lean on mobile data or a 4G router at first. Prepaid SIMs are registered to your passport and sold in every telco shop and many corner stores.

Typical cost: A prepaid SIM costs from around 1 TND; monthly data bundles run roughly 10-30 TND depending on volume, and unlimited-ish home fibre packages sit around 60-90 TND per month.

Tunisia is heavily cash-based, and the dinar is a closed, non-convertible currency: you cannot obtain it abroad and cannot legally export banknotes beyond a small allowance. Cards work in supermarkets (Carrefour, Monoprix, Magasin General), hotels and larger city shops, but rarely in taxis, souks, louages or small cafes. Contactless is spreading but far from universal, so treat cash as your default and cards as a backup.

Opening an account: Foreigners can open a resident dinar account once they hold a carte de sejour, or a foreign-currency (compte en devises) or convertible-dinar account without residency. BIAT, Attijari Bank, Amen Bank and UIB are commonly used by expats. Expect to provide your passport, proof of address, and often proof of income; opening can take a few visits and the account may be capped until residency is confirmed.

Cash: Carry cash daily and hoard small denominations for taxis, louages, markets, parking guardians and tips. ATMs are widespread in towns but routinely run empty on weekends, public holidays and the end of the month, so withdraw ahead of long breaks rather than relying on a single machine.

Tipping: Tipping (bakchich) is customary but small: round up taxi fares and leave roughly 5-10% in sit-down restaurants. A dinar or two is normal for porters, petrol-pump attendants, parking guardians and the person who watches your car in the street.

There is no European-style town-hall address registration in Tunisia, so you do not report your arrival to a mairie. However, if you intend to stay beyond the 90-day visa-free period (or beyond the validity of your entry visa), you must apply for a residence permit, the carte de sejour, through the immigration office of the police or national security district that covers your address. The file typically includes your passport and copies, passport photos, a rental contract or hosting attestation, and proof of the reason for your stay such as a work contract, study enrolment or sufficient means. Processing is slow and often requires several visits, so start early.

Deadline: Apply before your 90-day visa-free stay or visa validity expires; overstaying triggers fines calculated per started week and can complicate future entries.

Where: The foreigners/immigration desk at your local district police station (poste de police) or the regional directorate of national security (direction regionale de la surete nationale) for your address.

Cities run on cheap metered yellow taxis, shared inter-city louages (white minibuses that leave when full from dedicated stations), and, in Tunis, the light-rail Metro Leger tram and the historic TGM line linking downtown to the northern suburbs of La Goulette, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said and La Marsa. Buses exist but are crowded and hard to decode. Ride-hailing works in Tunis and larger cities but coverage thins out fast, and driving yourself means chaotic traffic and scarce central parking.

From the airport: Tunis-Carthage (TUN) is only about 8 km north-east of central Tunis. A metered yellow taxi downtown takes 15-30 minutes and typically costs around 10-20 TND depending on traffic and time of day; confirm the meter is running before you leave. There is no train from the airport, so a taxi, a booked transfer or a Bolt (where it can pick up) are your realistic options.

Foreigners rent freely, and most deals are found through local estate agencies (agences immobilieres), neighbourhood word of mouth, Facebook groups and the Tayara classifieds site rather than glossy international portals. Contracts are often informal and negotiable, and landlords frequently prefer several months paid upfront. Furnished flats are common and easy to find in Tunis, La Marsa, Les Berges du Lac and coastal towns, while unfurnished long-term lets dominate elsewhere.

Typical rent: A furnished one-bedroom in central Tunis runs roughly 800-1,200 TND per month, while smart lakeside and northern-suburb flats in Les Berges du Lac, La Marsa or Carthage reach 1,000-2,000 TND. Outside the capital, in Sousse or Sfax, comparable places are noticeably cheaper.

Deposit norm: Expect one to two months' rent as a deposit (caution), often plus one month's rent as an agency fee if you go through an agence. Get the inventory and any deposit terms written down, as informal deals can make refunds difficult.

Tunisia runs a two-tier system. Public hospitals are very cheap but crowded and under-resourced, with long waits and variable equipment. Private clinics (cliniques) in Tunis, Sousse and other coastal cities offer good, modern, affordable care that most expats pay for out of pocket. Pharmacies are plentiful, well stocked and staffed by pharmacists who will advise on and dispense many things that would need a prescription elsewhere.

How to access it: For anything beyond the trivial, go directly to a private clinic or a private doctor (medecin) and pay cash, keeping the receipts for any insurance claim. A specialist consultation typically costs a modest fee by European standards. Public emergency departments (urgences) will treat anyone regardless of paperwork, but expect long queues; save them for genuine emergencies.

Insurance: The public CNAM scheme covers registered employees and their families, but new arrivals rarely qualify at first. Most expats rely on private international or local Tunisian health insurance and pay providers directly, so arrange cover before or immediately on arrival and always ask for an itemised, stamped receipt (facture).

• Greet people with a handshake and a little unhurried small talk before getting to business; a warm salam or bonjour and a question about someone's health opens doors that rushing never will.
• Dress modestly away from beaches and resorts, particularly at mosques, in markets, and inside government offices, where covered shoulders and knees are expected of everyone.
• During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight out of respect, even though as a non-Muslim you are not required to fast; evenings then become lively and social after the iftar meal.
• Accept offered tea, coffee or food where you reasonably can, since hospitality is a point of pride and flatly refusing can read as cold or suspicious.
• Use your right hand for giving, receiving, eating and greeting, and always ask before photographing individuals, especially women and older people.
• Haggle politely and with good humour in souks and with informal taxis, but treat it as a friendly exchange rather than a fight, and once you agree a price, honour it.
• Learn a few words of Tunisian Derja such as aychek (thank you) and barsha (a lot); locals are visibly delighted by the effort and treat you differently for it.

• Avoid political criticism of the state, the president and the security forces in public or online, and never photograph police, military installations or government buildings.
• Public displays of affection and drinking alcohol outside licensed bars, hotels and restaurants are frowned upon and can attract unwanted attention.
• Homosexuality is criminalised in Tunisia, so LGBTQ+ arrivals should be discreet and cautious, particularly on dating apps, which have been used in entrapment.
• Do not discuss or joke about religion dismissively; Islam is central to public life and perceived disrespect is taken seriously.
• Be cautious with unsolicited 'help' from strangers near stations and medinas, as friendliness can be a lead-in to a shop commission or a fee you did not agree to.