Tehran Households Split Meals and Drop Savings as Inflation Hits 89.9 Percent

Iranian families are restructuring their daily lives around a new reality of scarcity, trading leisure and long-term security for immediate survival.

Annual inflation in the country reached 89.9 percent in September, according to government data. The Canadian-based fact-checking organization Factnameh calculated that a basket of 11 essential food items cost 56 million rials per person in September. For a family of three, that total exceeded 168 million rials. The government’s 10 million rial food voucher now covers less than 18 percent of the per-person cost, a drop from about 30 percent in December 2025. The estimated monthly wage stands at approximately 100 dollars.

The financial pressure has forced residents to abandon habits previously considered standard for the middle class. A newly married woman in Tehran, who requested her name be withheld, stated that her family used their wedding savings for a housing deposit. She now works two shifts to repay a loan. She told Radio Farda that her home has become merely a place to sleep. Her husband and she spend most of their waking hours working. She said they know every morning that they are poorer than the day before.

Other residents are adjusting their diets to stretch limited budgets. One woman reported that her family reserves most meat and chicken for their children, who are still growing. Her husband and she consume legumes and meat substitutes. They fear further price increases will force them to remove meat from the children's meals as well. A retired woman living on a monthly pension of 180 million rials has cut back on meat and other major protein sources since March. She worries about her health but considers herself fortunate because she does not pay rent.

Even households earning above the average are feeling the strain. A middle-aged man in western Tehran said his salary and rental income bring his household earnings to a billion rials. This figure is well above the average monthly household income in Tehran, which is around 600 million rials. He stated that he can live for today but has no savings for tomorrow. Travel, dining out, and saving have disappeared from his routine.

The cost of cooking at home has also surged. Preparing chicken and barberry now costs nearly twice as much as it did a year ago. A meal of ghormeh sabzi, the national herb stew served with rice, costs 23 million rials. Potato patties known as kookoo sib zamini cost about 4 million rials. 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.

Central bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati acknowledged on October 23 that Iranians are bearing a heavy burden. He said efforts to isolate the country's economy had failed to achieve their main objective. The current economic situation follows years of sanctions, stubborn inflation, and the fall of the rial. Hardship was a major driver of the protests in January, which authorities ended in a deadly crackdown. Pressure increased 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. Iranian attempts to control 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.