Tehran Families Split Meals and Skip Savings as Prices Double

23 million rials, or approximately $8.45, is the current price for a plate of ghormeh sabzi served with rice in central Tehran. That is nearly twice the cost of the herb stew a year ago. The price tag reflects a sharp increase in the cost of cooking at home that is forcing families to restructure their daily lives.

The shift in spending habits is driven by years of international sanctions, high inflation, and the steady decline of the rial. These economic pressures intensified after the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. The conflict damaged infrastructure and disrupted trade. A US naval blockade of Iranian ports reduced oil exports and imports, while Iranian attacks on the Strait of Hormuz further hindered shipping. In August, the US Treasury launched a new sanctions campaign that US officials called Economic D-Day.

A field survey by Radio Farda in central Tehran found that middle-class activities are disappearing as households cut back on food, housing, travel, and savings. One newly married woman in Tehran said her family used the money set aside for a wedding celebration to pay a housing deposit. She now works two shifts to repay a loan. Her husband works long hours as well. She told Radio Farda that their home has turned into the place where they just sleep. She noted that every morning they know they are poorer than the day before.

The survey showed that families are changing their shopping priorities to decide which necessities to go without. The cost of making chicken and barberry has nearly doubled in the past year. Potato patties known as kookoo sib zamini cost about 4 million rials. One woman said her family saves most of its meat and chicken for the children. She and her husband eat legumes and meat substitutes. They fear further price rises could force them to cut meat from the children's meals.

Factnameh, a fact-checking outlet based in Canada, estimated that a basket of 11 essential food items cost 56 million rials per person in September. That amount totals more than 168 million rials, or $61.70, for a family of three. The government's food voucher is worth 10 million rials per person. That covers less than 18 percent of the per-person cost. In December 2025, the voucher covered about 30 percent of that cost. Annual inflation reached 89.9 percent in September. The estimated monthly wage is around $100.

Central bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati 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. A retired woman living on a monthly pension of 180 million rials, or $66, has cut back on meals with meat since the Iranian year began in March. She worries about her health but considers herself fortunate because she pays no rent.

Households earning above the average are also feeling the strain. A middle-aged man in western Tehran said his salary and rental income bring household earnings to a billion rials per month. That is well above the average monthly household income in Tehran of around 600 million rials. He said he can live for today but has no savings for tomorrow. Travel, dining out, and saving have disappeared from his life.

A 28-year-old Tehran woman earning 400 million rials a month has changed how she socializes. She and her friends used to visit cafes weekly. Now they sometimes order one dish for every two people to split the bill. She said sharing is about the only way to make an outing affordable.