Food costs hit 168 million rials

Households in Tehran are trading protein for staples and eliminating savings from their monthly budgets as prices for essential goods continue to climb. A newly married woman who works two shifts to repay a loan described her home as a place where she and her husband simply sleep. She told Radio Farda that they wake up every morning knowing they are poorer than the day before. Her wedding funds, originally set aside for a celebration, were redirected to cover a housing deposit.

The cost of a standard food basket has risen sharply. Factnameh, a Canada-based fact-checking outlet, calculated that 11 essential food items cost 56 million rials, or $20.70, per person in September. For a family of three, that total reaches more than 168 million rials, or $61.70. The government provides a food voucher worth 10 million rials, or $3.67, which now covers less than 18 percent of the per-person cost. In December 2025, that voucher covered about 30 percent of the expense.

Inflation reached 89.9 percent in September. The average monthly wage in Iran is estimated at around $100. A retired woman living on a pension of 180 million rials, or $66, has reduced her intake of meat and other major protein sources since the start of the Iranian year in March. She expressed concern for her health but noted she is fortunate to pay no rent.

Even higher earners are seeing their margins shrink. A middle-aged man in western Tehran reported household earnings of a billion rials, or $367, from his salary and rental income. This figure is well above the average monthly household income in Tehran, which stands at around 600 million rials, or $220. He stated that he can live for today but has no savings for tomorrow, noting that travel, dining out, and saving have disappeared from his life.

A field survey by Radio Farda in central Tehran found that families are changing shopping priorities and abandoning activities once considered normal for the middle class. The cost of cooking at home has nearly doubled in a year. A meal of ghormeh sabzi, the national herb stew served with rice, now costs 23 million rials, or $8.45. Potato patties known as kookoo sib zamini cost about 4 million rials. One woman said her family saves most meat and chicken for their children, while the adults eat legumes and meat substitutes.

Social habits are shifting as well. A 28-year-old woman earning 400 million rials, or $147, a month said she and her friends no longer visit cafes weekly. When they do go out, they often order one dish for every two people to split the bill. She said sharing is the only way to make an outing affordable.

The economic pressure intensified after the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, which damaged infrastructure. A US naval blockade of Iranian ports has reduced oil exports and imports of goods. Iranian attacks aimed at controlling the Strait of Hormuz have further hindered shipping. In August, the US Treasury began a new sanctions campaign described as "Economic D-Day" to isolate Tehran financially.

Abdolnaser Hemmati, the Central Bank Governor, acknowledged the "heavy burden" Iranians are bearing on October 23. He said efforts to isolate the country's economy had failed to achieve their main objective. The recent hardship was a major driver of the protests in January, which authorities suppressed in a deadly crackdown.