What does a $50 grocery run in Iran actually look like—and how much can you cook with it? 👀
Hi everyone, I’m Lily! This is my second vlog, and we’re spending another cozy day together in Iran—shopping for groceries, meat, snacks, cleaning products and everyday essentials, while checking the real prices along the way.
Then we head home and make Beef Köfte with Smoky Eggplant Dip, a full meal for two that came to only about $3.24 / €2.77.
A growing number of women in Iran are going out in public without a headscarf, but the morality police have not completely vanished; rather, the state has shifted to digital surveillance, fines, and shutting down businesses instead of constant street confrontations.
In major cities like Tehran, many women walk around without wearing a hijab. This has become a form of everyday civil resistance following the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini.
The government remains wary of triggering another massive nationwide uprising by aggressively confronting women on the street.
Instead of officers stopping women on every corner, the government uses traffic and security cameras to track license plates and send warning text messages.
Hardline clerics and parliament members frequently demand stricter enforcement and criticize authorities for being too soft, leading to recurring waves of crackdowns.
Authorities target cafes, shops, and restaurants that serve customers who do not wear a hijab, forcing business owners to act as enforcers.
While everyday street patrols are less visible than before, the legal code has not changed. Courts still issue harsh penalties, such as heavy fines, travel bans, or floggings, in high-profile cases to deter others.