Tunisia is a very popular destination for many tourists in the summer. If you’re heading there, you’re probably looking for a way to stay in touch with family or friends in your home country. Tunisia has probably the best telecommunication services in North Africa. You can get a data SIM card here for a few dollars, and the Internet connection is pretty good. But if you don’t want to get a traditional SIM card, you can use Tunisia eSIM services. We’ll compare the two options to help you make the best decision.
Tunisia eSIM: How to choose the best one?
Wi-Fi at hotels is often slow or doesn’t reach your room or pool. Plus, if you have activities planned outside the resort, you’ll need data to stay connected to the world. You’ll also need to estimate how much data you’ll use on your vacation, or whether the hotel Wi-Fi will be enough.
You’ll also need to consider how many days you’ll be in Tunisia, how much you want to pay for data, and whether you’re willing to deal with a local SIM card or want to have data when you’re on the runway.
The best data eSIM for Tunisia
Let’s take a look at what eSIMs are available for Tunisia.
Cheapest plans
1 GB data packages via eSIM start at $1. You can purchase such a package from Jetpac, but note that it is only valid for 4 days.
If you need data for a longer vacation, you can check out eSIM4Travel, which offers a 7-day eSIM for $2.86. For a two-week vacation, the eSIM from MobiMatter for $3.99, valid for 14 days, is a good option.
From the well-known provider Airalo, you can buy an eSIM for Tunisia for $4.5, with a validity of only one week.
Average usage (5 GB of data)
In the 5 GB eSIM category, the cheapest plans are again offered by eSIM4Travel for $9.61 and MobiMatter for $9.99. Both have a validity of 30 days.
Currently, you can also get a 5 GB eSIM for a bit less at Global YO, where it is on sale for $6.48. Check out their offer to see if the promotion is still available.
High data usage (10 GB or more)
Even if you use more data during your vacation, the selection of the cheapest eSIM providers remains the same. You can get 10 GB plans with a 30-day validity from MobiMatter for $14.99 or eSIM4Travel for $18.04.
Once again, you can check if the promotion at Global YO is still available, as they currently offer this eSIM for $11.
Unlimited data in Tunisia
You can get unlimited data from several providers. The cheapest option is eTravelSIM, where prices start at $19.99 for a 7-day eSIM. However, this provider does not allow you to share data via a hotspot. Limited sharing is also available with the popular Holafly, where the eSIM is a bit more expensive.
If you need to share data, the simplest option is to get an eSIM from Maya Mobile, where you can choose in advance how much data you need to share each day. Prices start at $19 for 5 days, or $28 if you want to use the hotspot.
💸 Try our discount codes for first purchase 💸
Airalo $3 code MAREK7858
MobiMatter 50% cashback up to $5 code KODYT79445
Holafly 5% code ESIMMONSTER
Overview of the best packages for 14 days
| Provider | GB | Price | Validity |
| MobiMatter | 1 GB | $3.99 | 14 days |
| eSIM4Travel | 5 GB | $9.61 | 30 days |
| MobiMatter | 10 GB | $14.99 | 30 days |
| eTravelSIM | unlimited | $39.99 | 15 days |
Local SIM card in Tunisia
Getting a local SIM card is easy. All you need is a passport, and you can get one at the airport at the operator’s kiosks (usually you can even pay with your card), or in the city at specialized shops or convenience stores. Some of the better hotels even provide them at the front desk. But it’s easiest to get it directly from the operator, who will help you activate it.
The SIM card itself will cost you a small fee of 5 dinars ($1.60) or 10 dinars ($3.20) with credit already inserted. Sometimes you can also get a free SIM card from Orange at the airport, which contains about 100 MB of data and can be used to secure a ride and get to your accommodation in peace. It probably won’t be enough for your entire stay, though, and you’ll need to top it up (or buy a SIM card from another operator).
There are 3 major operators in Tunisia – Tunisia Telecom, Ooredoo and Orange. All of them offer prepaid SIM cards for tourists. Tunisia Telecom has the best coverage, Orange the worst. However, if you are only going to be in tourist areas, Orange will do the job.
Topping up is a bit more complicated, so we recommend using the operator’s shop directly. You will be given a card with a code on it. You enter it into your phone or into the operator’s app (this is the easier option, so if you have it, use it). After the top up, you choose the package you want and the price is deducted from the top up credit. Everything should be explained on the card, just expect it to be in French.
The prices are pretty similar for all of them. Here’s a selection of the most common ones, but you can also get 3GB or 10GB with some operators.
- 1 GB – about 5 dinars ($1.60) from 7 to 30 days
- 6 GB – about 15 dinars ($4.70) for 30 days
- 20 GB – about 25 dinars ($7.85) for 30 days
I find the most expensive packages at Orange and the cheapest at Ooredoo, but the differences are not too big. Ooredoo has the added advantage that you can buy 50 minutes of calls for 10 dinars.
Summary
SIM cards are relatively cheap in Tunisia. Unless you need a connection from the moment you arrive, it’s definitely worth trying to get a local SIM card, even at the airport. This will cost you from $4 to $10 with a good data plan. But if you still want to get an eSIM, we recommend looking at MobiMatter or eSIM4Travel.
