Sep 30

Sep 30 "What You Might Spend in a Week in Tunis" by Emma

Here’s what you might spend in a week in Tunis.

Transportation:

A taxi to school and back (based on my commute from Menzah 5, so this will depend on your host family’s location) will cost 6dt one way with Bolt, and 3dt one way with a normal taxi.

Total: 30 - 60dt ($9.76 - $19.52)

A high table is surrounded by young people eating food. The table is in front of a black wall with chalk-like cartoon drawings of food and drinks. — T-Box is located conveniently close to the Amideast office in Tunis. Photo credit: Mills, 2022.

Lunch:

A lunch at T-Box will cost about 10dt, while a Mlawi/Malfouf (street food) will only cost about 2.5dt.

Total: 12.5 - 50dt ($4.07 - $16.27)

A white paper cup of coffee with frothed milk with a stirrer sits on a laminated table with lines of unreadable text. — A cup of coffee should cost around 2.5dt. Photo credit: Mills, 2022.

Café:

A coffee should cost around 2.5dt.

Total: 12.5dt ($4.07)

Friday night!

A normal taxi to Gammarth/Marsa from Centre Ville costs about 15dt/$4.88 during the day, and increases to 20dt/$7.16 at night. A Taxi Jamaii (Collective Taxi) to La Marsa should only be 1.5td/$0.49.

You will also probably buy drinks and food. Food in Gammarth is definitely on the pricier side, and will cost 30dt or more. You can expect to pay 7dt-25dt on alcohol depending on the drink.

Total: 50 - 115dt ($16.27 - $34.93) for the night

a crowded outdoor restaurant patio with palm trees and a canopy with string lights. The setting sun casts everything in a lovely glow. — Yuka Restaurant in Gammarth. Photo credit: Mills, 2022.

Beach Trip on the Weekend:

A taxi to Marsa and back will be 15dt/$4.88 each way, whereas a Taxi Jamaii will only be 3dt/$0.98 one way.

Total: 6dt - 30dt ($1.96 - $9.76)

a dirt drive disappears between boulders. The ocean and beach is just beyond. — A Taxi Jamaii is a more affordable way to get to Marsa Beach on the weekend. Photo credit: Mills, 2022.

Grand total for the Week:

111dt - 267.5dt ($33.72 - $81.25)

This is ranging from taking the most expensive options to more inexpensive ones, and it makes a difference if you take normal taxis over bolts, choose less expensive food options, or pay attention to what you drink and where.

FINAL TIPS:

Track your spending so you have an idea of what your expenses look like! Tunis is largely cash-based and paying in cash all the time can make it hard to know exactly what you’re spending sometimes.
Try to track your transaction fees and limit the frequency with which you go to ATMs (i.e. taking out a larger amount at a time).
Try seeing what a week costs you personally and work from there, it can be hard to guess what things will be like before you go, you can also look at sites like Numbeo for a fairly accurate idea though some data may not be up-to-date!
Establish priorities but also pleeease make room for fun wherever possible.
Try a budgeting app or other organization system—Check out Destiny’s blog post on budgeting in Jordan for a great budgeting template on Google Sheets!
Make sure you have a just-in-case fund: Luckily, you have insurance through Amideast and nothing should happen where you get stuck needing to pay something you can’t, but things happen, and it’s always good to make sure you can access emergency funds if absolutely necessary.

Because of the privilege of using USD and the way it’s valued against the Tunisian dinar, a small budget can go a long way for US students in Tunis. Do as many things as you can and enjoy yourself. Tunis has so much to offer, and it’s worth it to try everything you possibly can!

Emma is an Amideast EdAbroad alum of the Regional Studies in French Program in Tunisia and was an intern with EdAbroad in Tunis this summer.