Nasi lemak is undoubtedly a favourite meal of choice for Malaysians. No matter whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, we simply can’t live without it.
Sadly, this beloved dish may no longer stay affordable in the years to come following a report by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), which revealed a startling fact about its prices.
Nasi lemak prices see 81.3% increase
According to the report titled Analysis of Annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) 2024, DOSM shed light on the rising cost of goods and services, placing considerable focus on Food & Beverage — which is the largest component of household spending in Malaysia.
In the report, it wrote that nasi lemak prices surged by a whopping 81.3%, with prices climbing from RM2.03 per plate in 2011 to RM3.68 in 2024.
Even popular dishes such as roti canai and chicken satay weren’t spared either, with roti canai prices rising from 90 sen to RM1.54 per piece (71.1% increase) and chicken satay surging from 51 sen to RM1.09 per stick (113.7% increase).
Additionally, the report also highlighted rising costs in raw ingredients within the same time period as well, such as the following:
- Large onions from India (RM2.89 to RM6.92 per kg) – 139.4% increase
- Local beef (RM19.05 to RM37.84 per kg) – 98.6% increase
- Cockles (RM3.04 to RM15.21 per kg) – 400.3% increase
- Fresh coconut milk (RM7.39 to RM11.54 per kg) – 56.2% increase
- Grated coconut (RM5.18 to RM8.33 per kg) – 60.8% increase
Against the backdrop of these statistics, the DOSM had a small piece of good news: Malaysia’s overall inflation had slowed down for two years in a row — 1.8% in 2024 and 2.5% in 2023.
It also noted that Malaysia’s inflation rate is in tandem with the global trend, where the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook Database in April 2025, where global inflation was estimated to be at 5.7% in 2024Â and 6.6% in 2023.
Were you surprised by the price increase? Share with us in the comments!
READ ALSO:
