Tunisia, a North African country of Mediterranean beaches, Roman ruins, and Saharan oases, blends history with modern charm. Whether you’re wandering the medina of Tunis, visiting ancient Carthage, or exploring the dunes of Douz, managing your money efficiently is key. While cards are accepted in hotels and tourist areas, cash remains widely used, particularly in souks, taxis, and smaller towns. This guide covers everything you need to know about cash and ATMs in Tunisia, including withdrawal fees, transaction limits, exchange rates, and card usage, ensuring a hassle-free and well-planned trip.
Where to find ATMs in Tunisia?
ATMs are widely available in Tunis, Sousse, Sfax, and other large cities. You’ll find them at banks, malls, transport hubs, and major streets like Avenue Habib Bourguiba in downtown Tunis. Banks such as Banque de Tunisie, BIAT, Amen Bank, and UIB operate most ATM networks. Machines dispense Tunisian dinars (TND) and typically support Visa and Mastercard with multilingual interfaces.
Tourist Spots:
In popular tourist areas like Hammamet, Djerba, El Djem, and Matmata, ATMs are available near hotels, souks, and attractions. Some machines may charge additional fees for foreign cards or offer less favorable rates, so using machines attached to banks is preferred.
Rural Areas:
Inland villages and desert regions – including Tozeur, Douz, or parts of the Sahara – have few ATMs, and those that exist may not accept foreign cards or could be out of service. Carry sufficient cash before exploring rural Tunisia or booking local transport or accommodations off the main tourist trail.
Best ATMs to use in Tunisia for foreigners
The best ATMs for foreigners to use in Tunisia are those owned by popular banks such as:
- Al Baraka,
- Tunisian Saudi Bank (TSB),
- QNB,
- Banque de Tunisie, and
- BNA Bank.
Don’t accept conversion at ATMs and withdraw only in local currency
In Tunisia, some ATMs may ask – Accept OR Decline Conversion (also known as With or Without Conversion, or Charge in TND).
– If you ‘Accept’ – ATM converts your money at ATM’s set exchange rate and you pay an extra % fee to the ATM for currency conversion also.
– If you ‘Decline’ – ATM will convert at exchange rate of the bank/card logo (Visa, Master, etc.).
So, to avoid extra fees, select ‘Decline/Without’ Conversion or ‘Charge in TND’.
If you’d like to understand more, read ATM fees abroad: Charges to use cards at foreign ATMs explained.
Can I use a foreign debit or credit card at an ATM in Tunisia?
Yes, many foreign debit and credit cards are widely accepted at ATMs in Tunisia. ATMs commonly accept Visa and Mastercards. Some of them also accept Plus and Cirrus cards. Only some accept CUP, JCB, Maestro cards. Others like American Express, Diners, Discover and Rupay cards are generally not accepted.
What are the ATM opening hours?
Most ATMs in Tunisia, especially in Tunis, Sousse, and Djerba, are available 24/7. However, in less populated or rural areas, access may be limited to venue hours or occasionally face downtime.
What are ATMs called in Tunisia?
They are called “Distributeurs automatiques” in French or “آلات الصرف الآلي” in Arabic. Many machines also include “ATM” signage, especially in tourist regions.
Language options at ATMs
ATMs typically offer Arabic and French. Machines in hotels, airports and expat-heavy areas may provide an English option.
You can use Google Translate App’s camera function to translate the ATM screen if you don’t understand these languages, but be cautious as the translations may not be entirely accurate.
What currencies can I withdraw from ATMs in Tunisia?
ATMs in Tunisia issue only Tunisian dinars (TND). Foreign currency withdrawals are not supported. Note – TND is a closed currency which means you can only buy and exchange it within the country.
ATM withdrawal limits in Tunisia?
ATMs in Tunisia have a maximum withdrawal limit per transaction of TND 300 to TND 800 per transaction, most common being TND 700 per transaction. Banks usually do not have daily withdrawal limits.
ATM Fees in Tunisia
There are some fee-free ATMs in Tunisia. Some bank ATMs do not charge any ATM Fees for foreign card holders while many others charge TND 10 to TND 12 per transaction as ATM Fees. So you can use the ones with no ATM Fees here.
Apart from ATM Access Fees, there can be other potential charges to withdraw cash in Tunisia. These are:
1. Currency Conversion Fees (Accept or Decline Conversion)
2. Your Bank’s currency conversion fee – Some banks charge the card holder a fee to use the card abroad. Cross check with your bank on what the charges are.
How to avoid high fees when withdrawing cash in Tunisia
Use the lower fee ATMs in the country.
Use the ATM Fee Saver app to find fee-free or low-fee ATMs.
Opt for “Decline Conversion” or “Without Conversion” during ATM transactions.
Consider getting fee-free cards from your home country.
Avoid using ATMs at the airports, sometimes they have higher fees.
For a detailed guide, read Withdrawing cash abroad? 9 best ways to save foreign ATM fees.
Ways to find fee-free ATMs in Tunisia?
Discover fee-free and low-fee ATMs on the ATM Fee Saver mobile app for iOS and Android. This app provides ATM PINs and details of leading bank ATMs such as ATM fees and withdrawal limits for foreign cardholders at ATMs in Tunisia. Moreover, its simple fee calculator helps you determine exact withdrawal charges. You can also find cash tips and tricks on the app for 160+ countries including Tunisia. Download now from the App Store or Play Store.
Download ATM Fee Saver now.
Safety at ATMs
Tunisia is generally safe for travelers, though petty crimes like pickpocketing and ATM fraud can occur, particularly in tourist-heavy areas such as Tunis, Sousse, and Hammamet. ATMs are widely available in cities and resort areas. For added safety, use machines inside banks or near secure commercial zones. Avoid using ATMs in isolated or dimly lit spots, especially after dark. Be discreet when handling cash, cover your PIN, and regularly check your transaction history for any suspicious activity.
FAQs
What to do if an ATM takes your card?
If an ATM in Tunisia takes you card, you can contact the bank (if you used an ATM inside a bank branch), they may be able to retreive the card for you if you have proof of identity. You can also contact the bank’s helpline but typically they only retreive and resend new cards for their own customers. In such cases, you will need to contact your own bank and ask them to deliver a card to you at home or abroad.
Fee-free ATMs and possible to withdraw cash free of cost at ATMs in Tunisia?
Yes, its possible. There are some fee-free ATMs in Tunisia. Some bank ATMs do not charge any ATM Fees for foreign card holders while many others charge TND 10 to TND 12 per transaction as ATM Fees. So you can use the ones with no ATM Fees here.
Foreign cards from US, UK, India, China, Europe, Australia accepted at ATMs in Tunisia?
Yes. ATMs in major cities in Tunisia and international hotel chains accept many types of international cards.
Bitcoin ATMs?
There are no confirmed Bitcoin ATMs currently operating in Tunisia. While some directories and local guides have hinted at planned installs, no physical crypto ATM is confirmed in cities like Tunis or Carthage; digital and peer-to-peer platforms remain the main access method.
Foreign bank ATMs’ presence in Tunisia
- Bank of America: No, there are no Bank of America ATMs here.
- Citibank: No, Citibank does not operate in Tunisia.
- Barclays: No, Barclays has no retail ATM presence here.
- HSBC: No, HSBC does not operate consumer ATMs in Tunisia.
- Standard Chartered: No, Standard Chartered does not maintain ATMs here.
