An examination of rental listings in Tehran’s Districts 4 and 5 shows that the average asking rates in April have reached about 10 billion rials as a deposit and 310 million rials in monthly rent (approximately $6,700 and $205); heavy and shocking figures that clearly demonstrate the depth of the housing crisis and the growing inability of households to secure shelter.
This is while the minimum wage of a worker with two children barely reaches about $100 per month.
Rental Crisis in the Shadow of War; Livelihood Deadlock for Iranian Tenants
In these two districts, unlike the overall city average where the main pressure is more concentrated on the deposit, landlords have assigned approximately equal weight to the deposit and monthly rent. The average size of the units offered is 91 square meters, and the average building age is reported to be 5.5 years.
A monthly rent of 310 million rials for couples who are both employed and earn average incomes is no longer just a number; it has become a serious and exhausting barrier to continuing life in Tehran. For many families, such a cost means eliminating a large portion of basic living needs and falling further below the poverty line.
It had previously been reported that the overall average rent in Tehran is about 90 million rials (approximately $60) in monthly rent and 12 billion rials (approximately $80,000) as a deposit. However, in Districts 4 and 5, due to the income conditions of some tenants, it appears that charging high monthly rent remains possible for landlords and has become unavoidable for tenants.
