Tehran Families Trade Meat for Legumes as Inflation Nears 90 Percent

A newly married woman in Tehran no longer has a home to come to. She works two shifts to repay a loan, and she and her husband spend most of their waking hours on the job. "Our home has turned into the place we just sleep," she told Radio Farda. She added that every morning, she knows she is poorer than the day before.

Her experience mirrors a wider shift in daily life across the capital. Years of international sanctions, persistent inflation, and the weakening rial have eroded household budgets. The pressure intensified after the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, damaging infrastructure. A US naval blockade of Iranian ports has since reduced oil exports and imports, while Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz have further disrupted trade.

The economic strain has forced families to reevaluate basic needs. A field survey by Radio Farda in central Tehran found that households are changing shopping priorities and abandoning activities once considered normal for the middle class. The cost of cooking at home has doubled. Making chicken and barberry now costs nearly twice as much as it did a year ago. A serving of ghormeh sabzi, the herb stew considered Iran's national dish, with rice, costs 23 million rials ($8.45). Potato patties known as kookoo sib zamini cost about 4 million rials.

One woman said her family now saves most of its meat and chicken for their children, who are still growing. She and her husband eat legumes and meat substitutes. They fear that further price increases will force them to cut meat from their children's meals as well.

Data from the fact-checking outlet Factnameh, based in Canada, indicates that a basket of 11 essential food items cost 56 million rials ($20.70) per person in September. For a family of three, that total exceeds 168 million rials ($61.70). The government's 10 million rial ($3.67) food voucher now covers less than 18 percent of the per-person cost, down from about 30 percent in December 2025. Annual inflation reached 89.9 percent in September, while the estimated monthly wage sits at around $100.

Central bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati acknowledged on October 23 that Iranians are bearing a "heavy burden." He stated that efforts to isolate the country's economy had failed to achieve their main objective.

The impact is visible even among those with higher incomes. A middle-aged man in western Tehran earns a billion rials ($367) monthly from his salary and rental income. This is well above the average monthly household income in Tehran, which is around 600 million rials ($220). Despite this, he said, "I can live for today, but I have no savings for tomorrow." Travel, dining out, and saving have disappeared from his routine.

A 28-year-old woman in Tehran earning 400 million rials ($147) a month has also changed her social habits. She and her friends used to visit cafes weekly. Now, they often order one dish for every two people to split the bill. Sharing is the only way they can afford an outing.

A retired woman living on a monthly pension of 180 million rials ($66) has cut back on meat and other major protein sources since the Iranian year began in March. She worries about her health but considers herself fortunate because she pays no rent.