Can you use euros in Tunisia, or pay by card?

Can you use euros in Tunisia? You can, now and then, but it's rarely a good idea: the country's currency is the dinar, and dinars are what you should pay with. A few tourist shops accept euros, but at a rate they set themselves. Bank cards work in most hotels and tourist centers, far less in small shops, so always carry some cash in dinars.

This article is about paying day to day. To find out where and how to get your dinars, read our guide on how to exchange money in Tunisia: exchange offices, today's rates, declaring your currency and changing money back before you leave.

Can you use euros in Tunisia?

The short answer: sometimes, but it's neither the rule nor in your interest.

What Tunisian law says

Tunisia's foreign exchange code, Law No. 76-18 of January 21, 1976, is clear on three points. Between residents, “the dinar must be both the unit of account and the currency of payment” (article 21, our translation). A resident who holds foreign currency must deposit it with an authorized intermediary, meaning a bank (article 6). And a traveler who lives abroad may keep their foreign currency during their stay, but it can only be sold to the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT), through a bank or an exchange office, or taken back out of the country (article 8).

In other words, the intended route is simple: you change your currency at an official counter, then you pay in dinars. A shopkeeper who takes your euros steps outside that route. It's tolerated in tourist areas, not a right you can claim.

Where euros are sometimes accepted

The eSIM provider Holafly, in its guide updated in May 2026, notes that euros are accepted “in souks and tourist spots, but at unfavorable exchange rates” (our translation). It adds that people mostly pay in dinars.

Only one place openly shows its prices in euros: the airport's airside zone. A traveler back from Hammamet describes it on a travel forum (October 2024): once you're through the police check, prices at the duty-free shop and the bar are in euros. Your dinars are no use there.

So you can use euros in Tunisia in a handful of places, and rarely anywhere else. For excursions, hotels and craft shops, ask for the price in dinars, then pay in dinars or by card.

The rate you get when a shop takes your euros

The shopkeeper picks the rate, often rounded in their favor. Let's run the numbers on an example. On October 8, 2026, €1 was worth 3.3646 DT at the BCT average rate, according to La Presse de Tunisie. If a vendor counts €1 as 3 DT, an item priced at 30 DT costs you €10 instead of about €8.90. You lose more than 10%.

If you're coming from Morocco, Canada, Switzerland or West Africa, the problem is the same with your own currency. It's accepted even less often than the euro. Change it at an official office, as our money exchange guide explains.

Paying by card in Tunisia: where it works and where it doesn't

According to the French foreign ministry (France Diplomatie), international credit cards are accepted “in most hotels and tourist centers,” but “rarely in shops and small restaurants” (our translation). The travel guide Hello Travel (May 2026) adds that acceptance mainly covers Visa and Mastercard. If you have another card, check with your bank before you leave.

The network is growing. At the end of 2025, Monétique Tunisie counted about 43,000 payment terminals in the country and 6 million cards in circulation, according to La Presse de Tunisie. More than 4,000 terminals were installed in 2025. But many small businesses are still paid in cash.

What to pay by card and what to pay in cash

This table sums up what is generally observed. It draws on France Diplomatie, the guides cited and travelers' accounts. Exceptions are possible either way.

Expense	Safest option	Typical amount
Hotel (room)	Card, or dinars	Depends on the hotel
Hotel tax	Dinars	8 DT per night (3-star), 12 DT (4- and 5-star)
Upscale restaurant, shopping mall	Card, as a rule	Depends on the place
Café, small restaurant	Cash	4 DT for a coffee at a tourist spot in Hammamet (2024)
Taxi in town	Cash	A few dinars to about fifteen dinars
Louage (shared taxi)	Cash	Depends on the route
Souk, market	Cash	Prices to haggle over
SNTRI bus	Cash, card at some stations	Depends on the route
Tips	Cash, in dinars	See below

The hotel tax figures come from the UK government: the tax is paid on arrival, for ten nights at most. The coffee price comes from the traveler on a travel forum. For taxis, Hello Travel quotes about 3 to 10 DT on the meter in central districts, and Holafly 5 to 15 DT for a ride in town. These are ballpark figures, not official fares.

For long-distance buses, the national company SNTRI launched card payment in May 2026, according to Tuniscope. It works at the Bab Alioua and Bab Saadoun stations in Tunis, and at the agencies in Gafsa, Tozeur, Nefta, Houmt Souk and Midoun. The article doesn't say whether foreign cards are accepted, so bring cash.

Contactless and PIN

Contactless payment exists in Tunisia, but not everywhere. Holafly describes it as becoming widespread in urban areas. Hello Travel mentions it in some supermarkets and gas stations, and advises not to count on it.

The limit for paying without a PIN depends on the terminal and on the bank that issued your card. Know your PIN by heart: the terminal may ask for it even for a small amount.

Your bank's fees

What a card payment costs you in Tunisia depends on your bank, not on the Tunisian shop. The dinar is not the euro, the Swiss franc or the Canadian dollar: every payment involves a conversion. Some banks take a percentage, others a flat fee per transaction, others nothing.

As an example, the Swiss comparison site Moneyland (June 2026) says that almost all Swiss credit cards charge fees abroad. It cites a markup of 1 to 3% on the rate for purchases in euros. Check the terms of your own card.

Dynamic currency conversion: say no and pay in dinars

This is the most common trap when you pay by card. The terminal, or sometimes the ATM, offers to charge you in your own currency (euros, Swiss francs, Canadian dollars) instead of dinars. The amount shows up right away in a familiar currency. This is dynamic currency conversion, or DCC.

The rate is then the one set by the merchant or their bank, almost always worse than your own bank's. Moneyland mentions an extra cost that can reach 10% in extreme cases. The French site JeChange (August 2026) cites a 2023 study that measured margins of 2.6% to 12% in Europe, around 5% on average.

We found no figure on how often this option comes up in Tunisia. But the rule applies everywhere: with a foreign card, pay in the local currency.

Apple Pay, Google Pay and mobile payment

Don't count on your phone to pay in Tunisia.

• Apple Pay. Tunisia is not on the list of countries and regions where banks offer it, according to Apple. So a card issued by a Tunisian bank can't be added to it. With a card from a foreign bank, Apple says payment is possible wherever the logo is displayed and the terminal accepts NFC contactless. We could not verify how many Tunisian terminals allow this.
• Google Pay. Google lists Tunisia only for online and in-app payments. The page says nothing about paying in stores.

So keep your physical card with you, even if you usually pay with your phone.

How much cash should you carry?

There's no right figure for everyone. A good rule of thumb: enough for one or two days of small expenses, in notes and coins. Withdraw or change the rest as your trip goes on. Details on ATMs, limits and changing money back are in our article on exchanging money in Tunisia.

Three practical points:

• Small notes. Holafly advises keeping low-value notes and coins, to avoid trouble getting change in taxis, cafés and souks.
• Millimes. The dinar is divided into 1,000 millimes. A price shown as “0.900” means 900 millimes, less than one dinar.
• Leaving. You cannot take dinars out of Tunisia, the UK government points out. Spend your last ones or have them changed back before the police check at the airport.

Tipping

Tipping isn't mandatory, but it's customary. Hello Travel (May 2026) gives these guidelines:

• about 5 to 10% in a mid-range restaurant or café;
• 2 to 5 DT per bag for a hotel porter;
• 5 to 10 DT for housekeeping over a stay of several days;
• 10 to 20 DT per person for a guide or a driver, on a day trip.

The same guide advises tipping in dinars, not in foreign currency.

Scams to avoid when you pay

Most payments go smoothly. Here are the traps travelers and guides report.

• The “good” rate that isn't. A street changer or a vendor offers a “favorable” rate. Hello Travel warns against these informal changers. Outside the official system, you get no receipt and no recourse, and counterfeit notes are in circulation.
• Your change. Count your change, especially if you paid with a large note. Millimes and prices with three decimal places are confusing for the first few days.
• The taxi without a meter. “Make sure the taxi turns on its meter, otherwise negotiate the fare before getting in,” advises the traveler on a travel forum (our translation). Hello Travel also reports drivers who refuse to use the meter or quote an inflated flat fare.
• The tourist price. In the souks, prices that aren't displayed are open to haggling. Ask for the price in dinars, never in euros: a price in euros often hides a rounded rate.
• The card that disappears. Don't let your card out of your sight while you pay. If the terminal is at the counter, go with the waiter.

Make sure the taxi turns on its meter, otherwise negotiate the fare before getting in.

Safety and entry requirements

According to France Diplomatie, you should keep an eye on your bags and valuables, especially at tourist sites. Don't pull out a thick wad of cash in public, and spread your money across several pockets. The ministry advises against travel to part of the country, notably the far Saharan south and the west-central mountains near Algeria, and places the rest under increased vigilance. Also check your own government's travel advice. Details on the zones and emergency numbers are on our Tunisia page.

Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. Check your case on our Tunisia entry requirements page. If you need a visa, apply one to two weeks before you leave.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use euros in Tunisia's souks?

Sometimes, but it's not recommended. The country's currency is the Tunisian dinar. Some tourist shops take euros, but at their own rate. Pay in dinars, in cash or by card.

Is it better to pay by card or in cash in Tunisia?

Both. Use your card at the hotel, in upscale restaurants and in tourist centers. Use cash in dinars for taxis, louages, markets, cafés and tips.

Should I pay in euros or in dinars when the terminal offers both?

In dinars. Choosing euros triggers dynamic currency conversion, whose rate is almost always worse than your bank's.

Does Apple Pay work in Tunisia?

Not with a Tunisian card: Tunisia isn't on Apple's list. With a foreign card, it depends on the terminal. Keep your physical card.