Currency: Iranian Rial

Meals

• Budget: US$1-2
• Mid-range: US$2-10
• Top-end: US$10 and upwards
  
  Lodging
  
• Budget: US$2-10
• Mid-range: US$10-40
• Top-end: US$40-110
  
  Exchange
  
• US$1 = 8000 Rial

Iran is inexpensive by international standards. A bare minimum budget for cheap hotels, Iranian food and overland transport is US$10 per day. Unless you thrive on discomfort, however, you should double this to around US$20 per day. This will provide you with decent accommodation, better food, transport by first-class bus and shared taxi, and visits to all the important tourist attractions. One unfortunate part of traveling to Iran is the dual-pricing for foreigners. This affects international flights and ferries, where all tickets must be paid for in US dollars; tourist attractions, where foreigners pay up to 15 times as much to enter as Iranians do; and the more expensive hotels, which often charge in US dollars.

There are three ways to change money (preferably US dollars in cash): at the  bank upon arrival in the airport or bank in big cities or street rate at the streets. Almost all the rates are the same, no black market anymore. Don't bother taking travelers cheques of any denomination or currency unless you absolutely must: you can only exchange them at the Bank Melli branches at the international airport in Tehran and in central Tehran. An increasing number of mid-range hotels (and all top-end places) accept Visa or MasterCard.

In most cases, tipping is an optional reward for good service. Although there are many circumstances where a small tip is expected, you are unlikely to have a waiter hovering expectantly near your table after delivering the bill. On the other hand, it's worth remembering that helpful Iranians probably deserve some extra appreciation to supplement their meagre wages. As for bargaining, in the bazaar virtually all prices are negotiable; in shops, it's a complete waste of time. Fares in private taxis are always negotiable.