Inflation Forces Iranians to Abandon Meat and Savings as Rial Collapses

Households in Iran are cutting meat, dining out, and savings to survive a cost-of-living crisis that has doubled the price of basic meals in twelve months. The pressure has intensified since the United States and Israel launched a war on February 28, which damaged infrastructure and disrupted trade.

A field survey by Radio Farda in central Tehran found that families are reordering their shopping priorities. Activities once standard for the middle class are now abandoned. The cost of preparing chicken and barberry at home is nearly twice what it was a year ago. A serving of ghormeh sabzi with rice now costs 23 million rials, or $8.45. Potato patties, known as kookoo sib zamini, cost about 4 million rials.

The financial squeeze traces back to years of sanctions, high inflation, and the steady fall of the rial. Hardship helped drive the protests in January, which ended in a deadly crackdown by authorities. Since August, the US Treasury has run a sanctions campaign called Economic D-Day to isolate Tehran financially. A US naval blockade has reduced oil exports, while Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz have hindered shipping.

A newly married woman in Tehran said her wedding savings went to a housing deposit. She now works two shifts to repay a loan. She told Radio Farda that her home has become a place where she and her husband only sleep. Every morning, she knows they are poorer than the day before.

Factnameh, a fact-checking outlet based in Canada, estimated that 11 essential food items cost 56 million rials per person in September. For a family of three, that total reaches 168 million rials, or $61.70. The government food voucher, worth 10 million rials, covers less than 18 percent of that per-person cost. That coverage has dropped from about 30 percent in December 2025. Annual inflation hit 89.9 percent in September, while the monthly wage is estimated at $100.

Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati acknowledged on October 23 that Iranians are bearing a heavy burden. He said efforts to isolate the economy have failed to achieve their main objective. A retired woman living on a monthly pension of 180 million rials has cut back on meat and protein since March. She worries about her health but considers herself fortunate because she pays no rent.

Higher earners feel the strain as well. A man in western Tehran earns 1 billion rials a month from his salary and rental income. This is well above the average Tehran household income of 600 million rials. He said he can live for today but has no savings for tomorrow. A 28-year-old woman earning 400 million rials now splits one dish with a friend to make cafe outings affordable.