2016: Can RM10 Still Get The Same Amount Of Food From Ramadan Bazaar As Last Year?
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It’s no secret that prices of goods have been escalating and these increases have spilled into every aspect of daily life, including what used to be cheap and simple fares found at Ramadan bazaars.
In fact, food prices at these bazaar stalls have gone up so much, they are now comparable to what you’ll be paying for a meal at a typical casual dining restaurant (believe it or not!).
So obviously, if RM10 didn’t get us a whole lot last year, it got us even less this time around. By just how much?
We revisited the same bazaars as we did in 2015 to find out just how far we can stretch RM10 at a Ramadan bazaar today!
Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI)
TTDI is home to one of the hottest Ramadan bazaar spots, though prices of goods sold at this affluent neighbourhood have always hovered on the higher side. This year is no different.
For instance, a simple popiah snack went for RM5 (for five pieces), while samosa sold for an average of RM1 per piece.
Pita wraps with chicken fillings went for roughly RM7, while the lamb variety sold for between RM8 and RM12, depending on which parts you’re getting.
Meanwhile, rice dishes with chicken such as nasi kukus ayam and rice with ayam percik went for an average of RM7. Lamb dishes cost between RM10 and RM15.
Nowadays, it is common for Ramadan stall owners to infuse traditional fares with modern flavours to appeal to the younger crowd. Just check out how the good ol’ pisang goreng has been transformed and remarketed as fried banana fritters with cheese! They are available from RM7.
Banana fritters with cheese is available at TTDI Ramadan bazaar from RM7.
Thirsty from your foray into the bustling marketplace? Be prepared to fork out between RM3 to RM5 for drinks like mata kucing, mango juice, sugar cane, and even Starbucks-style blended ice coffees.
We also spotted a stall that sells lai chee kang for RM5 for a small cup and RM10 for a big one!
So what’s more expensive in 2016?
This year, murtabak costs about RM5 on average from last year’s RM4.
More expensive murtabak in 2016.
Prices of lamb biryani also went up, from an average of RM12 last year, to RM13 this year.
Prices of lamb biryani have gone up from last year.
Other food items that are notably more expensive this year include chicken satay, which increased from an average of RM0.70 in 2015 to RM0.80 today. Prices of roti John (of the most basic variety) averaged at RM5 this year from RM4 the year before.
What could I have gotten for RM10?
Not even a full meal!
cheese – RM7 • Mango juice (big) – RM3 | • Beef kebab – RM4 • Kuih koci (3 pieces) – RM2 |
Bangsar
The Bangsar bazaar is a pretty short stretch with fairly limited choices and I’m not sure if it was just me or if it was because it was raining, but food choices here appeared to be even scarcer this time around than the year before.
However, you will still be able to find the usual array of traditional Ramadan staples, like murtabak and laksa. Both costs roughly RM4.
As with the year before, prices here are a tad cheaper than the bazaar in TTDI. Here, you can get watermelon juice from RM2 onwards, while the usual assortment of Starbucks-style coffee will cost you from RM5.
One stall sold samosa for RM5 for a box of six pieces. While another sold a stick of four chicken wings for RM6.60.
Meanwhile, roti John was available from RM3, which is pretty much the same as the year before. The same cannot be said of its cousin, the “black” roti John, made presumably of charcoal bamboo powder.
“Black” Roti John could cost up to 5X more than the “normal” variation!
A black roti John with chicken costs RM10, beef for RM12, and the pulled lamb variety for RM15 – that’s comparable to what you’ll be paying for when you dine in at a burger joint!
So what’s more expensive in 2016?
Hungry? Be prepared to fork out more for a simple rice dish if you’re out and about at the bazaars.
Of the lot, prices of rice dishes appeared to have gone up the most.
For example, a packet of nasi ayam costs just about RM5 on average in 2015. Today, you will unlikely find nasi ayam for anything less than RM6.
In 2016, prices of rice dishes averaged at RM6.50 and can go up to as much as RM7.50.
What could I have gotten for RM10?
• Murtabak – RM4 | • Roti John – RM3 • Air mata kucing (1 bottle) – RM2 |
Bandar Tun Razak
Honestly, the first thing that struck me at this neighbourhood bazaar this time around was the exorbitant amount that one stall was charging for roti John with cheese – at a staggering RM8!
Fancy some Roti John with cheese? My tummy says yes, but my wallet screams no!
Other variations of roti John were spotted across the bazaar from RM4 (with chicken fillings) to RM6.50 (with sausage and cheese fillings).
Elsewhere, another stall was selling chicken samosa for RM1.50, which is rather pricey for neighbourhood bazaar standards, if you ask me.
However, you will be able to find rice dishes and variants of sup tulang sold here for RM5 and below.
Snacks like popiah and murtabak are also slightly cheaper here, selling at roughly RM4 (for five pieces), and RM3.50 respectively.
You will also be able to purchase drinks and some five pieces of kuih pelita from RM2 respectively.
The general observation at this bazaar this time around is that there were fewer stalls than last year and that it did not carry the same breadth of selection as it did the year before. Perhaps the rain and generally cloudy weather this time of the year had something to do with it.
Prices of popiah are comparatively cheaper at this neighbourhood bazaar.
So what’s more expensive in 2016?
Again, the rice dishes. For example, in 2015, you could get a packet of chicken rice from as little as RM4.50. Today, it costs at least RM5.
As mentioned, there were fewer stalls and selections this time around, so this writer could not exactly do an apple-to-apple comparison per se, but I’m pretty sure that roti John did not cost up to RM8 last year…
What could I have gotten for RM10?
• Roti John with sausage and cheese fillings – RM6.50 | • Kuih pelita (5 pieces) – RM2 • Curry puff (2 pieces) – RM1 • Onde onde (4 pieces) – RM2 • Tau fu fah – RM1 |
The bitter truth is, RM10 really does not get you much nowadays, even at a Ramadan bazaar. And unlike last year, even prices of goods at neighbourhood bazaars are no longer as affordable, so it is no wonder that an increasing number of Malaysians now prefer to break fast at home instead.
However, if you like to live dangerously, you can choose to buy your food at the bazaar nearing the time for iftar. Though your selections would probably be limited, you can likely get cheaper prices for any of the food items. Sometimes, you can even get additional pieces for the same price! This trick will work if you are willing to risk breaking fast right at the bazaar, though.
