Malaysia’s Food & Drink Price
MALAYSIA – On 29 April 2025, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) released the latest Consumer Price Index 2024 Report, detailing how the price of everyday food and drink items has shifted from 2020 to 2024.
Note
Only items with consistent data across all 5 years included.
Scope
- Source: Consumer Price Index 2024 Report.
- Coverage: Country level average
- Categories analyzed: Selected Food & Beverage Items Price Data (2020–2024)
Rice Prices
Average Prices for Common Rice Dishes Rise Sharply Between 2020 and 2024
Plain Rice rose from RM1.50 in 2020 to RM1.98 in 2024, marking a 32% increase—the highest among common rice dishes. Biryani Rice followed closely with a 29.8% increase, while Nasi Lemak and Fried Rice saw hikes of 29.6% and 29.2%, respectively.
This heatmap shows year-over-year changes in rice prices in Malaysia from 2021 to 2024, highlighting both the actual average prices (RM) and the percentage change compared to the previous year.
2022 saw the sharpest increases
- Nasi Lemak: +12.54%
- Biryani Rice: +11.64%
- Chicken Rice: +11.27%
- Fried Rice: +10.84%
- Plain Rice: +9.03%
This suggests a broad inflationary pressure or cost shock in 2022, understandably, given the lingering effects of COVID-19.
And if you’re a Nasi Lemak fan like me, this is especially concerning, because let’s be honest it’s the best food in the world.
Selected Food Prices
Now Focusing on Other Popular Foods (Beyond Rice)
Relative (%) Price Increases (2020–2024):
- Chicken Satay increased by 41.6%, from RM0.77 in 2020 to RM1.09 in 2024.
- Roti Canai rose by 36.3%, from RM1.13 to RM1.54.
- Fried Kuey Teow: 31.45%
Highlight: Roti Canai, a flaky, famous flatbread loved by millions, has seen a +36.28% price increase from RM1.13 in 2020 to RM1.54 in 2024.
Inflationary effects were most severe in 2022, with all items showing double-digit jumps:
- Roti Canai: +15.79%
- Chicken Satay: +16.25%
- Fried Kuey Teow: +11.41%
Selected Drink Prices
This visual tracks price changes for four popular local drinks in Malaysia over a 4-year period (2020 to 2024):
- Milo
- Teh Tarik
- Kopi-O
- Teh-O
All drinks saw over 30% price increases within four years.
Milo experienced the highest absolute and percentage increase, becoming the most expensive drink on the list.
The largest yearly spikes occurred in 2022 for all drinks:
- Milo & Teh Tarik: +12.2%
- Kopi-O: +10.95%
- Teh-O: +9.16%
Previously, we conducted a similar analysis on average food prices during Bazar Ramadhan 2024.
Link: Malaysia’s Ramadhan Bazaar 2025: How Much Do Desserts, Food and Drinks Cost?