What money should you take into Tunisia?
Even if you manage to find somewhere exchanging Tunisian dinar at home, don’t take them up on the offer. It’s illegal to bring the currency into the country and no place that’s reputable will sell it to you.
Once you arrive in Tunisia, British pounds will readily be accepted for exchange, as will euros and US dollars. Most other currencies are exchangeable too, but not as widely. If you’re happy to carry your cash on you, a good option is to take your spending money in one of these currencies and exchange it for dinar on arrival.
If you prefer to use your credit or debit card to withdraw money once you’re in Tunisia, that’s fine too as ATMs are widely available in tourist resorts and towns. However, you may be faced with surcharges of around 4% on your card, and you should still take a small amount of cash with you to exchange in case of emergencies or problems with your card.
Where can you exchange your currency in Tunisia?
You can exchange your foreign currency at banks, bureau de exchanges, hotels and post offices across Tunisia. The exchange rate is fixed by the government and so there shouldn’t be any difference between your rates, wherever you choose to exchange your money. Be sure to bring your passport along with you too, as it might be required for you to change your money.
Make sure to exchange enough money whilst you’re there, so that you don’t need to rely on using your debit or credit card when you’re out and about – you might find that stores and restaurants don’t accept card and only operate in cash.
What if you have leftover currency?
Just as it’s illegal to bring dinar into the country, it’s illegal to take it out too. This rule is taken pretty seriously and the Tunisian authorities have the right to spot search your luggage at the airport. This means that before you leave, you must make sure to change back all of your currency – and this includes coins too! Don’t worry about going hungry at the airport though, since shops and cafes will accept a whole range of other currencies, including British pounds, euros and US dollars.
