Updated November 2026 We have dropped the old 2023 price table, which inflation has made meaningless, and replaced it with a practical guide to what eating out in Tehran costs and how to check today’s figures.
When it comes to the cost of living in Tehran, what you spend on eating out depends far more on where you eat than on what you order. A plate of kebab and rice in a busy downtown chelokababi, a sandwich from a street stall or a bowl of ash costs a fraction of a meal in one of the smart restaurants of north Tehran, where a dinner for two with starters, mocktails and dessert can approach what you would pay in a European city. For anyone living on a foreign income, though, restaurants in Tehran remain good value, and eating out is a normal part of life for many families.
Why we no longer publish a fixed price list
Iran’s inflation has run at high levels for years, and menu prices in Tehran are revised several times a year. Any table of restaurant prices is out of date within months, and figures converted into euros or dollars swing with the free-market exchange rate. As a guide to scale, the euro was trading at a little over 300,000 tomans (3 million rials) on Tehran’s free market in early November 2026; check our exchange rates page for today’s figure, and the wider Iran price trackers for other everyday costs.
The quickest way to see current menu prices is to open a food-delivery app such as Snappfood, which lists the full menus and prices of thousands of Tehran restaurants. Prices on the apps are usually close to what you pay when you sit in, sometimes slightly higher.
Rials and tomans on the bill
Menus and receipts can be in rials or tomans, and it is easy to get confused. One toman equals ten rials. Most menus and almost all conversation use tomans, often with the last three zeros dropped, so a waiter who says “eight hundred” may mean 800,000 tomans. If in doubt, look at the card machine screen, which shows the amount in rials.
What to expect at different price levels
- Street food and snacks. Falafel, sandwiches, ash reshteh, haleem at breakfast and grilled corn or beetroot from carts are the cheapest way to eat. Bakeries and juice bars are good value too.
- Traditional and everyday restaurants. Kebab houses, dizi shops and lunchtime canteens serve filling Iranian dishes at moderate prices. Lunch menus are often cheaper than dinner.
- Fast food and pizza. Iranian burger and pizza chains are everywhere. A pizza or burger meal is usually priced in the same range as a kebab, or a little more, and premium pizzerias charge considerably more.
- Cafés. Specialty coffee is relatively expensive by local standards because beans are imported; a cappuccino in a north Tehran café can cost as much as a simple lunch elsewhere.
- Upscale restaurants. International, fusion and high-end Persian restaurants in Elahiyeh, Zafaraniyeh, Fereshteh, Jordan and the big malls charge the highest prices in the city, particularly for imported ingredients such as steak, seafood and cheese.
Soft drinks, bottled water and non-alcoholic beer are inexpensive everywhere, although mark-ups are higher in smart venues. Alcohol is not legally available.
Neighbourhood makes the difference
The same dish can cost twice as much in the north of the city as in the centre or south. Downtown areas around the bazaar, Enqelab and Haft-e Tir have plenty of cheap, honest restaurants, and food streets such as 30 Tir Street are a good-value evening out. Restaurants in hotels and luxury malls sit at the top of the scale.
Tips for keeping costs down
- Eat Iranian. Local dishes made from local ingredients are much cheaper than imported-ingredient Western food, which often costs roughly twice what it would abroad.
- Go at lunchtime. Many restaurants offer set lunch dishes at lower prices than their evening menus.
- Check the bill. VAT is usually added, and some restaurants include a service charge; tipping on top is appreciated but not expected if service is already included.
- Use a local bank card. Foreign cards do not work in Iran, so foreign visitors need cash or a prepaid tourist card. Card payment is standard almost everywhere, even at small cafés.
- Order delivery. Delivery apps frequently run discounts and can be cheaper than sitting in, especially for families.
For ideas on where to go, browse our cafés and restaurants section and our guide to the top coffee houses in Tehran.
