Flatshare in Sfax Ouest

In Sfax, flatsharing is first and foremost a student affair. Every new academic year, thousands of young people from Gabès, Kairouan, Sidi Bouzid or Gafsa look for a room near their faculty, and a good share of that demand is concentrated on the Soukra road, home to a major university hub. Sfax Ouest, with Soukra and the neighbouring districts, is therefore one of the areas where flatsharing really exists.

This page brings together rooms in family homes and shared apartments in the delegation, posted by owners and sometimes by flatmates looking for someone to fill a room. The online supply remains limited, as many arrangements are still made by word of mouth. To widen the search, all the flatshares in the Sfax governorate are on a shared page.

A room in a family home or a shared apartment

The most common arrangement is a room in a family home: a family rents out one or two rooms of its house, or a floor fitted out as bedrooms, with a shared kitchen and bathroom. The rent usually includes water and electricity, and the setting is often strict: limited visits, set hours, a house reserved for girls or for boys. Many parents prefer this option for a first year.

A shared apartment, an S+2 or S+3 rented by several people, offers more independence. Everyone has their own room, the rent is split, and the bills are shared between flatmates. These apartments are found in the residences along the first kilometres of the Soukra road and on villa floors around Merkez Chaker and Cité El Habib. To rent alone or as a couple, the apartments for rent in Sfax Ouest offer more choice.

The start of term, and the rest of the year

The market plays out between mid August and the end of September. The best rooms, close to the faculties and bus lines, go before term even starts, often booked by students returning the following year. If you can, start looking in July, or come to Sfax a few days before enrolment to visit.

During the year, places open up at internship time, with exchange departures or after the first semester. This is also when young professionals, interns or new employees find a room at a reasonable price most easily.

On budget, a room in a family home is generally the cheapest option, especially as bills are often included. In a shared apartment, the rent per person mainly depends on the number of flatmates and the distance to the faculties: a room in an S+3 a few minutes from campus costs more than an equivalent room in Merkez Chaker, from where you need the bus. Always compare the total cost, transport included. A student who saves on rent but spends an hour a day in transport, with late returns after practical classes, often ends up moving out in the second semester. Well served districts towards the Soukra road are often the best compromise.

What to settle from the start

Put in writing the rent, what it covers, the deposit and how it is returned, and the duration: the academic year from September to June, or twelve months. Many owners ask for the summer to be paid to keep the room; better to know before signing.

Between flatmates, agree in advance on splitting the bills, the cleaning and shared shopping, as well as the rule if one of you leaves. On the viewing, check the street lighting in the evening, the distance to the bus and the water pressure, especially on upper floors. Finally, ask whether an internet connection is already installed and how its subscription is shared, a question that comes back every September. For a whole house to share, see the shared houses in Sfax Ouest.