Iran's rich cultural and entertainment landscape, once a part of daily life for Iranians, has become so expensive amid rising costs of living that it has become prohibitively expensive for most families.
Simple entertainment such as going to the cinema, buying books, attending theater performances or even subscribing to home streaming services were once standard family activities. But now, they are slowly slipping out of reach for the average Iranian household, as at least one third of the country is living below the poverty line.
Iran's Farhikhtegan newspaper recently broke down the problem by numbers.
“Cinema, books, theater, home streaming, and concerts cost a family an average of about 73,000,000 rials ($94.8), while their minimum income is around 116,000,000 rials ($150 per month). This means that if they want to spend exclusively on cultural activities, they would have to allocate more than half of their income for this purpose."
Before the recent rise in the value of the dollar and the resulting devaluation of the rial, the average monthly income for a family of four was around $200.
However, due to the currency’s continued decline, the average monthly income has now fallen to just $150, further exacerbating the financial strain on Iranian families.
As of this month, the Iranian rial has plummeted to approximately 770,000 rials per US dollar. The sharp depreciation has further deepened the economic hardship for the average Iranian citizen, pushing basic living expenses, including food and medicine, out of reach for many.
The depreciation of the rial, driven by a mix of economic sanctions, inflation, and political instability, has devastated the purchasing power of Iranians, many of whom are now even forced to barter for basic goods like food and are struggling to heat their homes during the bleak winter months.
Cinema and books: The new luxuries
In Tehran, a typical movie ticket costs about 800,000 rials (roughly $1 USD) per person. For a family of four, that means a trip to the cinema costs 3,200,000 rials (around $4.2) just for the tickets.
To watch a film at one of Tehran's more popular cinemas, located at Iran Mall, using an internet taxi for a round-trip journey can cost approximately 3,500,000 rials ($4.5), making the total cost of the cinema outing about 7,000,000 rials ($9.1)—excluding snacks or meals, which could push the total closer to 20,000,000 rials ($26).
Children's books average about 1,400,000 rials ($1.8) per book, and adult books cost approximately 2,060,000 rials ($2.7) each. If a family of four buys three children's books and three adult books in a month, they would spend around 10,000,000 rials ($13). Additionally, supplementary or educational books cost roughly 3,040,000 rials ($3.9 USD) each, adding further strain to a family’s budget.
Theater and concerts: A dream for the few
The cost of attending theater performances has also skyrocketed. High-end theater tickets now range from 6000,000 rials ($7.8) to 14,000,000 rials ($18 USD) for premium shows.
For regular performances, prices range from 4,000,000 rials ($5.2 USD) to 6000,000 rials ($7.8). Even the more affordable comedy shows, which are not quite theater but have gained popularity, cost between 1,500,000 rials ($1.9) and 3,000,000 rials ($3.9).
Concerts, too, are no longer a modest indulgence. Ticket prices range from 2,000,000 rials ($2.6) to 11,000,000 rials ($14.3) for popular performances. On average, a family of four would pay around 26,000,000 rials ($34) for concert tickets alone, without factoring in transportation and food costs.
Subscription services for home entertainment have also become increasingly expensive. For instance, VOD platforms like Filimo, Namava, and FilmNet charge between 1,500,000 rials ($1.9) and 1,650,000 rials ($2.1) per month.
Additionally, families must pay for internet services, which can cost between 2,000,000 rials ($2.6) and 3,000,000 rials ($3.9) monthly. This means that a family could spend up to 8,000,000 rials ($10.4) per month just to access home streaming content.
