How Much Does It Cost to Live in Iran in 2025?
Before discussing the cost of living in Iran, I would like to mention that the exchange rate in Iran fluctuates significantly.
When I visited in 2024, I could exchange 1 dollar for 58,000 tomans through unofficial money changers (I don't recommend exchanging at banks).
In January 2025, the dollar's value rose to as high as 120,000 tomans per dollar. Currently, it has stabilized around 80,000 tomans per dollar, though the dollar remains strong.
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| Bazzar Saray fil |
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| A glimpse of a traditional bazaar in Iran. This place is filled with fascinating and mysterious items. |
This means that prices I mention here could differ by up to 100% depending on when you visit Iran. The current information reflects an exchange rate of 1 dollar = 80,000 tomans (based on today's dollar rate).
1 dollar = 80,000 tomans = 800,000 rials
*Toman ( نﺎﻣﻮﺗ ) Rial ( لﺎﯾر )
Let's look at the basic living expenses for travelers.
Although you might be planning to attend school or stay longer, I'll provide information for travelers staying approximately one month:
1. Accommodations: Clean, economical accommodations cost about $10-$20 per day. Many places offer 10% discounts for stays longer than 10 days, so ask about this for extended stays. For information on how to find accommodations, please refer to my blog:
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| It was very sweet and delicious. The grapes too |
2. Taxi fares: Using ride apps, you can travel most places within a city for about 160,000 tomans ($2-3).
This covers approximately 5-10km distances. 1. One medium-sized watermelon = 850,000 rials = 85,000 tomans = about $1.1
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| I think it was about 2 dollars |
1. Breakfast at an average restaurant = about 240,000 tomans = 2,400,000 rials = about $3
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| One of Iran's fast food restaurants. Besides chicken, they had a variety of different hamburgers. |
2. Fast food menu (chicken): The number 200 in the top left corner means 200,000 tomans, about $2.5
- Sib Zamini Tenori - Potato Tenori (type of french fries) 200 = 200,000 tomans, about $2.5
- Topping Peniri - Cheese topping 250 = 250,000 tomans, about $3.12
- Pizza Sukhari - Beef pizza 200 = 200,000 tomans, about $2.5
- Cocktail Peniri - Cheese cocktail 350 = 350,000 tomans, about $4.4
- Garchi Sukhari - Beef mushroom 250 = 250,000 tomans, about $3.12
- Gordon Blue - Blue Gordon (Cordon Bleu dish) 400 = 400,000 tomans, about $5
- Crocket Morgh Penir - Cheese chicken cracker 400 = 400,000 tomans, about $5
1. Dinner at mid-to-high-end restaurants: about $7-15.
2. Kebab, Koobideh = about $1-4 per stick with various options
3. Steak, Western pasta = beef steak about $4-10, Western cream pasta about $3-4
4. 15 eggs = 95,000 tomans = about $1.2
5. 1.5L water = 11,500 tomans = about $1/7
6. Haircut costs = starting from 200,000 tomans. Women's haircuts typically start from 400,000 tomans. Men = minimum $2.5, women minimum $5.
7. 1L milk with 3% fat = 55,000 tomans, about $0.7
8. One slice of inexpensive bread = about 7,000 tomans = $0.1
9. Approximately 1kg cake = 310,000 tomans = about $3.9
10. 1kg chicken breast = 320,000 tomans = about $4
11. 1kg chicken = 220,000 tomans = about $2.7
12. 1kg chicken legs = 220,000 tomans = about $2.7
13. 1kg beef = 650,000 tomans = about $8.1
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| What was interesting is that there were female police officers inside the subway who
were enforcing hijab regulations... 14. Electricity bill for a family of four = 1,000,000 tomans = about $12.5 15. One-way subway ticket = 5,000-6,000 tomans = less than $0.1 16. 1kg rice = 220,000 tomans = about $2.7 17. Basic insurance fee = about 250,000 tomans = about $3.1 18. Elementary student tutoring = 15,000,000 tomans - 100,000,000 tomans = about
$200 and up 19. Large size Americano = 124,000 tomans, about $1.5 20. Wifi = 1,000,000-3,000,000 tomans (1 year) = about $12.5-38 21. Mobile phone plan with 7GB data = 41,800 tomans = about $0.5 |