Foreign bank cards do not work in Iran. Whatever you plan to spend in Tehran, you have to carry in with you as cash, and running short halfway through a trip is a real headache. This calculator works out roughly what your stay will cost and how much cash to bring.
It uses the live free-market exchange rate, the same one behind our Iran prices page, so the totals in euros, dollars and pounds move with the rial.
How the numbers work. Budget assumes a bed in a hostel dorm, simple meals and the metro. Mid-range assumes a double room in a three-star hotel, sit-down restaurants and a mix of metro and Snapp. Comfort assumes a four or five-star hotel, good restaurants and Snapp everywhere. Food covers three meals a day plus tea and snacks. Entry tickets use an average foreigner’s price for Tehran’s palaces and museums, which is several times what Iranians pay.
Visas and guides. Most nationalities pay a visa fee of around €80 in cash on arrival. British, American and Canadian passport holders need a visa arranged through an agency and a licensed guide for the whole trip. The calculator adds €100 a day for the guide, which is our estimate, so ask your agency for its own rate. Our Iran visa guide has the details.
What it leaves out. Flights, travel insurance, shopping in the bazaar and trips outside Tehran are not included. For flights, see how to get to Tehran right now and our live Tehran flights app.
Carrying cash. Bring clean, recent euro or dollar notes, since torn or old notes are often refused. Change money in small amounts at licensed exchange offices rather than on the street. Our guide to exchanging money in Iran explains how. Keep part of your cash in a separate place, and keep enough aside for the airport taxi home.
For the rest of your planning, our Tehran hotels guide covers where to stay, our eSIM guide explains how to get online before you land, and getting around Tehran covers the metro and Snapp. The local prices in this calculator were last checked in November 2026. Iran’s annual inflation has run above 30% every year since 2019, so prices here move faster than almost anywhere else.