‘Just to Survive’: Surging Inflation Forces Iranians to Put Life Plans on Hold

Iranians across social and political lines say runaway inflation and renewed economic pressure have made everyday life almost unbearable, forcing people to abandon long‑held plans and dramatically reduce household spending. Radio Farda, the Persian‑language service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, spoke with multiple residents across the country who described canceled weddings, halved meat consumption, and a generation of young people who no longer see a future with realistic prospects.

One interviewee, a seller of pharmaceutical products who asked to be identified by the pseudonym Ramin for security reasons, said he had planned to marry this year after an engagement last year. But with monthly earnings of about 35 million tomans (roughly $150) — a sum only slightly above the estimated national poverty threshold for an Iranian household — he and his fiancée decided to delay cohabitation and continue living separately with their families. Basic pleasures, he said, such as buying gifts for his fiancée or going to a café together, have effectively disappeared.

The economic strain has become measurable. Tejarat News, a website that tracks economic developments in Iran, reported that the country’s so‑called “misery index” — a combined measure of inflation and unemployment based on data from the Iranian Statistical Center — reached 96 percent in June–July. That index ranged from 83.5 percent in Tehran to as high as 120.6 percent in the western province of Ilam, marking the highest readings recorded since the start of the year.

Officials in Washington imposed a slate of measures in August that U.S. officials described as among the toughest sanctions on Tehran to date. Following those moves, the value of the Iranian currency fell to new lows, with exchange rates moving above 200,000 tomans to the U.S. dollar. The resulting price hikes have turned routine expenses into struggles for many families.

Eighteen‑year‑old Karen, who is preparing to enter university, called the situation “catastrophic.” What might once have been an exciting transition to higher education has been overshadowed by the absence of opportunity and the creeping sense that ambitions are no longer attainable. "No matter how hard you try, you cannot keep up with the price increases from one day to the next," he said, adding that people have become resigned to the reality of constant price jumps.

Household spending patterns have shifted noticeably. Solmaz, a government employee in Tehran, said her family has halved its consumption of meat, including chicken, and removed fish from its diet altogether because it is now affordable only to wealthier households. Major Iranian online retailers such as Snapp and Digikala have extended installment payment options to cover food purchases so customers can spread costs for essentials like meat and cooking oil over time. Solmaz also said she has stopped meeting friends at cafés and ceased going to the gym, and that travel from central Tehran to its western districts costs about 300,000 tomans — a significant expense.

Economic grievances are intersecting with political tensions. Iran experienced a brutal crackdown on nationwide anti‑government protests in January that were ignited in part by worsening living conditions. Since the start of the recent military confrontation with the United States on February 28, interviewees say the economy has worsened further, deepening frustrations that cut across supporters and opponents of the Islamic Republic.

Eighteen‑year‑old Faranush, who comes from a religious family that supports the Islamic authorities, said the economic crisis affects “all citizens” and that many are struggling regardless of political loyalties. Supporters of the regime, she said, tend to blame a small number of officials within the governing structure for theft, embezzlement and ineffectiveness, while critics argue that corruption and failings extend through the entire system. Regardless of political stance, she added, many café patrons now do not order food because they cannot afford it — a change in public behavior that once would have been difficult or embarrassing to admit.

The personal stories and economic indicators together paint a picture of a society wrestling with constrained choices and rising desperation. For many Iranians, what matters now is survival: postponing marriages, shrinking diets, and cutting social contact are practical coping mechanisms to endure a crisis that combines international sanctions, currency collapse and the domestic political fallout of sustained unrest.