Short answer. Tunisia's currency, the dinar (TND, often written DT), cannot be bought before you travel and must not leave the country. You change or withdraw money on arrival, pay mostly in cash outside hotels, and pay a hotel tax of 8 or 12 dinars per person per night, depending on the hotel's category. Here are the official rules, quoted where they matter.
The dinar: in Tunisia only
The British government says Tunisia has strict currency controls and that you are not allowed to take Tunisian dinars out of the country. In practice: travel with pounds, euros or a bank card, and change or withdraw dinars when you arrive. Keep official exchange receipts, as the British government advises.
According to the French government's travel advice, exchange offices are common in Tunisia and accept all convertible foreign currencies, and cash machines are found in most towns. Check your bank's weekly withdrawal and spending limits before you go.
Declaring foreign cash
The British government says to check the rules if you bring foreign currency into Tunisia, including pounds, and whether you need to make a declaration on arrival; failure to declare may result in confiscation. The French government is more specific: declaring foreign cash on entry is compulsory, and a non-resident cannot take out more than the equivalent of 5,000 dinars in foreign currency without the declaration made on arrival. Desks exist at ports and airports. If you travel with a lot of cash, declare it when you land.
Card or cash?
The French government's two pages do not say quite the same thing. Its practical-information page says international credit cards are accepted in most hotels and tourist centres but rarely in shops and small restaurants; its security page describes card use as widespread (payments and cash machines). In practice, keep cash for souks, cafés, taxis and louages, and use the card at the hotel and larger stores. The British government also warns that summer power cuts can affect cash machines and card payments.
The hotel tax
The British government gives the rates: the tax is paid on arrival, 8 dinars per person per night in a 3-star hotel and 12 dinars in a 4- or 5-star hotel, for a maximum of 10 nights. It cannot be reclaimed if you leave early. Example: a couple staying seven nights in a 4-star hotel pays 2 × 7 × 12 = 168 dinars, on top of the price of the holiday.
Can you pay in euros or pounds?
The official advice covers exchange and declarations, not paying in foreign currency in shops. Plan on dinars for everyday spending. What you can pay in euros before you go: the flight, the hotel booked online, and your connection. Our eSIM is paid online in euros before you leave: €21.90 for 7 days on the Orange Tunisie network, with no dinars to change and no shop to find. It helps from the moment you land, to find a cash machine on the map or check an exchange rate.
Sources
GOV.UK, Tunisia, entry requirements (hotel tax, currency; updated 24 July 2026, still current on 15 October 2026); France Diplomatie, Tunisia, security (cash declaration) and practical information (payments), updated 15 September 2026, in French.
Three days in Tunis with official museum prices: 3 days in Tunis.