Living in Sfax, Tunisia

Sfax is a mid-sized coastal city in Tunisia (250,000 to 1 million people in the city proper). It has a warm climate, averaging 20°C over the year with about 187 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €2,158 a month to live centrally. For foreigners, long-term residency in Tunisia is possible, with conditions.

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Est. cost: €2,158; a month for a couple
Climate: 20°C; 187 mm rain a year
Size: Mid-sized; 250,000 to 1 million people
Safety: 52/100; country-level
Residency: Possible, with conditions; for most foreigners

Limited data for Tunisia. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in Tunisia are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for Tunisia, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

What stands out about Sfax

More affordable than 85% of the cities we compare
Dry: about 187 mm of rain a year
On or near the sea

Climate

Sfax averages 20°C across the year with about 187 mm of rain, which makes it warm and very dry. It is warmer than 55% of the 1225 cities we track, and it sits on the coast.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €2,158 a month to live centrally in Sfax, 21% below the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 85% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Safety and stability

Tunisia scores 52 out of 100 on safety, safer than 20% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 4.6 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Tunisia: country-level homicide rate per 100,000 people (VC.IHR.PSRC.P5, 2020) and Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Healthcare

Tunisia scores 59 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 26% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Tunisia: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Residency and visas

Possible, with conditions. Tunisia issues annually-renewable carte de séjour residence permits on grounds such as work, family, study, or retirement, requiring proof of accommodation and unspecified 'sufficient funds' rather than a fixed income or investment threshold.

For short visits, 99 of 198 passports can enter visa-free, 1 can get an e-visa or visa on arrival and 98 need a visa in advance.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Questions couples ask about Sfax

Is Sfax a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. Compared with the other cities we track, Sfax scores well on affordability. It is weaker on safety and healthcare. Our figures for Tunisia are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a warm, very dry climate (20°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks Sfax and 914 other cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in Sfax?

We estimate about €2,158 a month for a couple living centrally, 21% below the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for Tunisia, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in Tunisia long term?

Our assessment: possible, with conditions. Tunisia issues annually-renewable carte de séjour residence permits on grounds such as work, family, study, or retirement, requiring proof of accommodation and unspecified 'sufficient funds' rather than a fixed income or investment threshold.

What is the weather like in Sfax?

Sfax averages 20°C across the year with about 187 mm of rain, which makes it warm and very dry. It is warmer than 55% of the cities we track.