Iran livelihood basket costs double since January 2025

Labor activist Mohsen Bagheri has reported that the cost of the essential livelihood basket for working-class households has nearly doubled since January 2025. This surge in the price of goods and services has significantly widened the gap between current wages and the actual cost of living.

Bagheri emphasized that wages set at the beginning of the year are no longer sufficient to meet the minimum needs of households. He noted that rising costs for food, housing, transportation, and healthcare have eroded workers' purchasing power and prevented economic planning or savings. He called for the Supreme Labor Council to convene a tripartite meeting to review and adjust wages in light of these economic shifts.

Economist Masoud Neili also warned of a difficult economic period ahead, attributing rising inflation to long-term strategic policy errors. The combination of removing preferential currency rates, increasing prices for essential goods, and broader economic pressures continues to intensify the financial strain on Iranian workers.