La Marsa Emerges as Tunis’s Hot Coastal Property Bet as Prices Surge

La Marsa, the upmarket suburb hugging the Gulf of Tunis, has overtaken its neighbours as the city’s standout coastal property hotspot this summer. According to data from the Tunisian Chamber of Real Estate Professionals, the average sale price for an apartment in La Marsa jumped 13% in the first half of 2026, the sharpest leap of any suburb along the greater Tunis coastline.

Why Buyers Are Flooding into La Marsa

This price momentum comes at a critical time for both investors and home seekers. Across Tunis, demand for quality seafront living has soared after two years of social churn and a wave of returning expatriates, agents from Agence Immobilière du Sahel told The Daily Tunis. With mounting heatwaves pushing city dwellers towards breezy waterfronts and UNESCO’s ongoing rehabilitation projects promising renewed public spaces, local buyers are turning their attention from the capital’s congested core to its more exclusive fringes.

La Marsa sits just 18 kilometres northeast of downtown Tunis, along the same TGM rail line as the historic Carthage district. Its broad palm-lined Corniche, designer boutiques, and proximity to flagship venues like Saf Saf café and the Dar El Marsa hotel have always drawn a crowd. But persistent new investment is reshaping the shoreline, particularly around Rue de la Mer and Parc Essaada, where boutique developments are selling out off-plan before workers lay a single brick.

A report released by Tunisia Property Watch in June reveals that beachfront apartments along Avenue Habib Bourguiba in La Marsa now regularly exceed 6,300 TND per square metre—up from 5,600 TND a year ago. Villas closer to Marsa Cube or perched above Sidi Bou Said have leapt even higher. The pace far outstrips the city average, which edged up only 4% across the same period. Notably, a newly launched 24-unit development near Plage de Marsa reached over 80% reservation in the first three weeks, according to the local office of Maghreb Real Estate Partners.

What’s Next for Buyers and Investors

Industry insiders expect La Marsa’s run to last through 2027, thanks in part to infrastructure upgrades—most notably the coastal tram extension project slated to break ground near Cité des Pins before year-end. Investors eyeing short-term rental income also see opportunity: platforms like Airbnb and local rival MyMarsa report strong summer occupancy and rising weekly rates. But agents warn that rising demand brings rising scrutiny, especially around historic property preservation rules and new short-let licensing standards being drafted by the Municipality of la Marsa.

For those looking to ride the wave, local banks—including Amen Bank’s Marsa branch—are offering targeted mortgage products for second-home buyers and diaspora returnees. Buyers are advised to move quickly; with price momentum strongest along the crescent from La Corniche to Marsa Plage, supply is thinning fast. Those considering the leafy avenues above the Dar El Marsa or quieter eastern lanes behind Marché du Saf-Saf may still find a handful of listings, but competition is already driving private sales behind closed doors.