The Current Plate Price
As of September 2026, the average cost to prepare a vegetarian thali at home saw a significant 10% increase compared to the previous year. According to CRISIL's Roti Rice Rate indicator, a monthly tracker of meal costs, a veg thali that cost ₹28.10 to make
in September 2025 rose to ₹30.80 in September 2026. This upward trend was also visible month-on-month, with a 4% rise from August to September 2026, signalling growing pressure on kitchen expenses just as the festive season approaches.
Onions Bring the Tears
The primary driver behind this surge has been the dramatic spike in onion prices. A staple in almost every Indian curry, onion prices soared by a staggering 89% year-on-year, climbing from ₹28 per kilogram in September 2025 to ₹53 per kg in September 2026. This sharp increase is attributed to a combination of factors, including a tight supply of stored rabi onions and an estimated 5-6% drop in production. Furthermore, delayed monsoon rains held back the arrival of the fresh kharif crop, keeping prices firm.
Pressure from Grains and Oils
It's not just vegetables causing the increase. The cost of cereals and cooking oil has also contributed significantly. Rice prices saw an 8% year-on-year increase in September, with CRISIL expecting a 5-6% decline in paddy production due to lower acreage and weaker yields. Similarly, vegetable oil prices jumped 12% over the year. This rise occurred despite a cut in the basic customs duty on crude palm oil, as geopolitical uncertainties and concerns about the El Niño weather pattern's impact on global production kept prices elevated.
The Broader Kitchen Bill
Other essential components of the thali are also adding to the bill. The cost of pulses, particularly tur, remains a concern due to weather-related production risks. While prices for some staples like potatoes saw a decline earlier in the year, market watchers anticipate upward pressure as higher-priced cold storage stocks are liquidated. Adding to this is the cost of cooking fuel itself, with LPG prices remaining 10% higher year-on-year due to disruptions in the global supply chain, directly impacting the final cost of every home-cooked meal.
How the Non-Veg Thali Compares
For context, the cost of a non-vegetarian thali also increased, but at a slower rate. It went up by 6% year-on-year, from ₹56 to ₹59.50. The more moderate increase was primarily because broiler chicken prices, which make up about half the cost of a non-veg meal, rose by only 2% year-on-year. This shows that while all meals are getting more expensive, the specific combination of ingredients in a vegetarian thali made it particularly susceptible to recent price shocks.
