Tehran Households Slash Meat and Dining as Rial Slides

A newly married woman in Tehran converted her wedding savings into a housing deposit to secure a place to live. She now works two shifts to service a loan, leaving little time for anything other than labor. "Our home has turned into the place we just sleep," she told Radio Farda, adding that her family feels poorer every morning. She requested anonymity.

Her experience mirrors a sharp decline in living standards across Iran. Rising costs have pushed families to reduce spending on food, housing, travel, and savings. Years of sanctions and inflation have eroded the economy, a strain that fueled the January protests and the subsequent crackdown. The pressure intensified after the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, which damaged key infrastructure.

Trade disruptions have compounded the crisis. A US naval blockade of Iranian ports has cut oil exports and imports, while Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz have further hampered logistics. In August, the US Treasury initiated a new sanctions campaign labeled "Economic D-Day" to isolate Tehran financially.

A field survey by Radio Farda in central Tehran shows families abandoning middle-class habits to manage budgets. The cost of cooking has skyrocketed. A meal of ghormeh sabzi, Iran's national herb stew, with rice now costs 23 million rials, or $8.45. Potato patties known as kookoo sib zamini cost about 4 million rials. Chicken and barberry cost nearly double what they did a year ago.

Many households are rationing protein. One woman reported that her family saves most meat and chicken for their growing children. She and her husband eat legumes and meat substitutes, fearing that further price hikes will force them to cut meat from their children's plates as well.

Factnameh, a Canadian fact-checking outlet, estimated that a basket of 11 essential food items cost 56 million rials per person in September. For a family of three, the total reached 168 million rials, or $61.70. The government's 10 million rial food voucher now covers less than 18 percent of that per-person cost, down from about 30 percent in December 2025. Annual inflation hit 89.9 percent in September, while the estimated monthly wage stands at around $100.

Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati acknowledged the "heavy burden" on Iranians on October 23. He stated that efforts to isolate the economy had failed to meet their main objective. A retired woman living on a monthly pension of 180 million rials has cut back on meat since March. She worries about her health but notes that paying no rent helps her manage.