The Growing Cost of Parenthood in Iran, ۱۹۹۲–۲۰۲۱

Background and Aim: The decision to have children is one of the most significant choices in an individual's life course, which is directly influenced by financial and time-related factors. This study aimed to estimate and analyze parental expenditure on children in Iran over the past three decades and to examine the factors influencing these costs Data and Method: The research was conducted using a quantitative approach and the secondary analysis technique. For this purpose, microdata from the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) during the period ۱۹۹۲–۲۰۲۱ were analyzed. Findings: The results showed a general upward trend in parental expenditure on children during the last three decades. As children grow older, their costs—especially in the areas of health and education—increase, with the highest educational expenses occurring during adolescence and early adulthood. A key finding is that although the nominal costs of children have risen, this increase is largely due to persistent inflation rather than real growth in household resource allocation. This suggests that households’ economic capacity to invest in their children has weakened over time, leading families to allocate fewer resources toward improving the quality of their children’s lives, which may ultimately decline children's quality of life. Factors such as the household head’s income, education, gender, number of children, and their gender composition significantly affect child-related expenses. Conclusion: The rising costs of children can pose a major barrier to fertility promotion policies. Accordingly, the design of targeted support policies—particularly for female-headed households, urban residents, and low-income or large families—is essential to reduce the financial burden of child-rearing and to facilitate parental decision-making regarding childbearing. Key Message: The study reveals that the cost of raising children in Iran has significantly increased over the past three decades, mainly due to persistent inflation rather than real income growth. As a result, families’ ability to invest in their children’s well-being has weakened. Rising child-rearing costs may hinder fertility promotion efforts, highlighting the need for targeted economic support policies.

کلیدواژه ها:

Child-related Costs ، Children's Expenditures ، Parenthood ، Childbearing ، Welfare Policies