The Price Of A Home-Cooked Meal In Tehran

What five everyday Iranian dishes cost to cook for a family of four, a year apart. Tap or hover over the bars to see each ingredient's cost, in toman.

Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh

Saffron rice studded with tart barberries, served with chicken braised in onion and tomato. A classic dish for guests.

0200K400K600K800K1M1.2Mtomans+128%+78%+34%+91%+80%+214%+342%+195%577K1.14M+98%Oct. 2025Oct. 2026
Chicken (1.2 kg)
Rice (800 g)
Barberries (60 g)
Saffron (0.5 g)
Butter (50 g)
Onion (150 g)
Cooking oil (120 ml)
Tomato paste (30 g)

Note: Ingredient costs only. Rice, lamb, chicken, eggs, cooking oil, and butter are national urban averages for late August to late September of each year. Vegetables are Tehran municipal market prices, bread is the official Tehran price, and other ingredients are average online retail prices, all from October. On Iran's open market, the US dollar averaged about 111,000 toman from late September to late October 2025, and about 259,000 toman over the same period in 2026.

Source: Statistical Center of Iran; Tehran Municipality fruit and vegetable markets; Torob; Tehran Province market regulation working group; Radio Farda; Navasan (exchange rates)

Credit: Photos: Saffron & Herbs, Earth to Veg, Mazzeh, Bon Appetit, and Meals Cook.