Every Day We 'Wake Up Poorer': Iranians Battle Economic Woes

For one newly married woman in Tehran, the money meant for a wedding celebration went toward a housing deposit instead. Now, she works two shifts to pay off a loan, while she and her husband spend most of their time working. Our home has turned into the place we just sleep, she told Radio Farda. Every day when we wake up, we know we are poorer than the day before. The account of the woman, who asked that her name not be used, highlights the intensifying struggle ordinary Iranians face as rising living costs force households to reconsider what they can afford, from food and housing to travel, dining out, and saving for the future. SEE ALSO: 'Just To Survive': Soaring Inflation Puts Iranians' Lives On Hold Years of international sanctions, persistent inflation, and the steady depreciation of the rial have battered Iran's economy. Economic hardship was a major driver of the January protests, which Iranian authorities suppressed in a deadly crackdown. The economic pressure has only ratcheted up further since the US and Israel launched their war against Iran on February 28, with damage to infrastructure. Meanwhile, trade has been disrupted by both sides: a US naval blockade of Iranian ports sharply curtailing oil exports and the importing of goods; and Iranian attempts to control the Strait of Hormuz through attacks that have further impeded shipping. In August, the US Treasurylauncheda new sanctions campaign, dubbed Economic D-Day by US officials, aimed at further isolating Tehran financially. These pressures have deepened an economic crisis that was already eroding Iranians purchasing power. A field survey by Radio Farda in central Tehran found that the pressure extends beyond the rising cost of individual meals. Families are changing their shopping priorities and choosing between which necessities they will have to do without, while activities once considered ordinary parts of middle-class life are increasingly being abandoned. Interactive embed: Iranian Recipe Prices Indeed, Iranians need to look no further than their own kitchen table to see the reality. It now costs nearly double as much as it did a year ago to make chicken and barberry at home, while a meal of ghormeh sabzi with rice -- a traditional herb stew considered Iran's national dish -- could cost 23 million rials ($8.45). Another traditional dish Persian potato patties (kookoo sib zamini), which consists of potatoes and eggs, now costs about 4 million rials. One woman told Radio Farda that her family now reserves most of its meat and chicken for their children, who are still growing. She and her husband instead eat legumes and other meat substitutes. But they fear that continued price increases could eventually force them to cut meat and chicken from their childrens diets, too. According to an estimate published by the Canada-based fact-checking outlet Factnameh, a basket of 11 essential food items cost 56 million rials ($20.70) per person in September. For a family of three, that amounted to more than 168 million rials ($61.70). This is while the governments 10 million rials ($3.67) food voucher covered less than 18 percent of the per-person cost, down from around 30 percent in December 2025. In a country where the annual inflation rate in September was 89.9 percent, and the monthly wage for the country is estimated at around $100, households are stretched thinner and thinner by the day. On October 23, central bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati acknowledged the "heavy burden" Iranians are bearing as a result of the current situation, but added that efforts to isolate the country's economy had failed to achieve their main objective. SEE ALSO: Iran's Currency Plunges As Washington Readies 'Economic D-Day' For a retired woman receiving a monthly pension of 180 million rials ($66), that may not mean much as the choices are already affecting her diet. The woman said she has had to reduce the number of meals containing meat and other major sources of protein since the beginning of the Iranian year in March and is worried about the impact her diet will have on her health. Still, she says she counts herself as one of the lucky ones since she doesn't have to pay rent. The daily strain isn't just being felt by those at the lower end of the economic sphere. Even those who make more than the average salary are being hit. One middle-aged man in western Tehran told Radio Farda that his salary, combined with rental income, brings his household income to a billion rials ($367). The average monthly household income in Tehran is around 600 million rials ($220) -- the highest in the country. I can live for today, but I have no savings for tomorrow, he said. Along with travel and dining out, saving money has also disappeared from my life. For a 28-year-old woman in Tehran, a monthly income of 400 million rials ($147) has meant changing how she socializes. When she goes to cafes with friends, they sometimes order one dish for every two people to spread the cost. The group used to go to cafes every week, she said. Now, sharing dishes is about the only way to make an outing affordable. Every Day We 'Wake Up Poorer': Iranians Battle Economic Woes Copy link Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Email Share Copy link Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Email Share Facebook X (Twitter) Youtube Instagram Follow us Print