Communication & Internet
SIM card & Mobile data
A local SIM card is the cheapest and best option:
- Providers: Ooredoo (best network), Tunisie Telecom (largest coverage), Orange Tunisia
- Price: 5–15 TND (1.50–4.50€) for a SIM with 5–20 GB data, valid for 30 days
- Purchase: At the airport, in any mobile phone shop or tobacco kiosk. Passport required!
- Network coverage: 4G in all cities and tourist areas. In the Sahara and remote mountain areas, coverage can be patchy.
WLAN
Most hotels and many cafés offer free WLAN. The speed varies greatly — acceptable in big cities, sometimes frustratingly slow in rural hotels.
Language
Communication is easier than expected:
- Arabic (Derja): The everyday language. The Tunisian dialect is difficult to understand even for Arabs.
- French: Quasi second official language — almost all Tunisians speak it. Dominant in tourism, trade, and education. If you speak French, you will manage everywhere.
- English: Understood in tourist areas, but rarely outside them. Younger Tunisians increasingly speak English.
- German: In some large hotels and with tour guides working with German tourists.
