Necessary Earnings

Try this website for cost of living www.numbeo.com

around 8 euro per day

Thank you for the information.


Annie

Annie

Depends on you really and what you like to eat.

If you can buy a property here then do so, as rent will take 45 per cent of your total monthly budget, if I work on averages from what my friends spend.   Contrary to what people say the rents are NOT cheap in comparison to cost of living unless you're prepared to put up with a trek out of the main towns and very poor standard of accommodation.  Utilites are cheap as is bread and vegetables.  I bought two loaves, milk, peppers, lettuce, cucumber, peaches, pears and a few other things for just under 8 dinars.

Electrical things are expensive as is decent furniture - eg on a par with Europe  but lack of choice.  However, there are decent stores where you can pick up a dinner plate for a dinar.   You just have to shop around.

The people that I know from the UK that I know manage on £100 (UK stirling) per week. That said that factors in food, entertainment and bus travel only but NOT car expenses, medical expenses, emergencies, clothing or insurances etc.  I was surprised how expensive my 2 month 3rd party car insurance was. 

As you guess they see a white face and they add 50 per cent on .. be careful on that.

Vegetable/fruits are best bought in local markets (yet to find one) and bread is very cheap as are the good quality boulangeries.  Fruit juice is lovely and so is the *unprepared" fish.  You can buy bag fulls of cous cous / rice / pasta for not much. 

Talking to locals, a waiter only earns (less tips) 200 dinars a month; a manager in tourism 300 dinars a month and a professional like a lecturer about 800 dinars a month and some keep a wife and child on that so there must be a way to do it!  That said most don't have a car, go on holiday or buy many clothes. 

I'm not to bad at the moment money wise (but hope to work and generate some income) but it will be very tight next year when I have to really budget.  But seek out local places to keep coffee prices down.. you may be the only woman but hey, so am I!  Again, eat away from tourist areas and you can get some tasty things for a few UK pounds.

Don't know how useful that is or not.  I can always check with the people I know here to get a more accurate picture if you like.

I know I'm here but personally, unless someone is mad keen to come I'd advise against it unless you're prepared to get out of western thinking and into the local life.   

If you're a single woman you will be a target in every way.  I've been targeted on many occasions but am not silly .. also I've been very lucky in finding a professional family (mostly surgeons/doctors) and they've been a Godsend in helping me settle in as has my friend from the UK whose lived here two years.

take care Carole

Carole

PS I prefer Hammamet and certainly prices drop around there and Nabeul. 

I hope your son will enjoy his time.   Carole

Carole,thank you so much for your help. Are you alone in Tunisia and you do okay? What are you hoping to do to generate income ? Do you have a job in mind or a business venture?. These are all questions to worry about are'nt  they?
I will be looking to rent around Nabeul  as I said just wondered if there is an official amount you need to transfer to get your carte sejour?
I need to find out about schools too.... I have two almost adopted kids age 7 and 10 so they have to be educated too. Worries worries worries!!!
Any info you can give me would be really appreciated Carole on anything you think I need to know .
Kindest regards,

Annie

Where do you live Carole?

Hi Anna and thank you for your kind reply.  I will be moving to Nabeul with my children in May/June 2015. I just wanted a realistic idea of the general living expenses. I won't be th roughing cash around but neither do I want to be watching every penny.
Where do you live ? Do you enjoy the life in Tunisia ?
Annie

Hello Anna,
So lovely to hear from you.
I am so looking forward to relocating to Nabeul. I have a great rental house there which is fab for me and my family. I don't want to live like an ex pat but like a tunisian. I really enjoy shopping at the markets and cooking the local produce. It is a big move for me and my family but I believe a good one. Do you think you will return to Tunisia......such a great difference from how you live in Seattle , I would think?
It would be lovely to keep in touch, Anna , if you have the time?
Kindest regards,

Annie

Hi Annie,
Nothing to do with necessary earnings really, although it does seem possible to have a much nicer life on less money than in the UK.  My OH reckons that £500 a month should be easily enough to house and feed us all which sounds lovely. 
I too am moving to Tunisia (eventually lol, as something always seems to come up to stop me and I end up to-ing and fro-ing again lol) and have two children.  My daughter is 17 and my son 7.  Just wondering what you're going to do about schooling?  I really want to move to Sousse but am wondering whether to do a year in Tunis and put the kids in either the British School or American School to ease them in more gently to their new environment.  We could then do weekdays in Tunis and have the weekends in Sousse which would fit in quite nicely.  Nothing bothers me about the move apart from the education really and how the kids get on.  After all, we can always come home if it is a total disaster.  Important to me to give it a go for at least a year though. 
Sue xx