India’s home-cooked meal costs rise as onion, oil, rice and LPG prices climb
The average cost of a vegetarian thali in India rose 10% year on year to ₹30.80 in September 2026, according to CRISIL data reported by ABP Live. Onion prices jumped 89%, while edible oil, rice and LPG also became more expensive.
Vegetarian thali reaches ₹30.80
The cost of preparing meals at home increased across India in September 2026 as households paid more for onion, edible oil, rice and liquefied petroleum gas. ABP Live, citing CRISIL’s monthly Roti Rice Rate report, said the average cost of a home-cooked vegetarian thali rose 10% year on year to ₹30.80, from ₹28.10 in September 2025.
A non-vegetarian thali cost ₹59.50 on average, up 6% from ₹56 a year earlier. The increase also accelerated on a monthly basis: the vegetarian meal became 4% more expensive than in August, while the non-vegetarian meal rose 3%. The figures indicate that food inflation was affecting both ingredient-heavy vegetarian meals and higher-priced non-vegetarian dishes.
Onion supply drives the increase
Onion was among the largest contributors to the higher vegetarian meal cost. Its price reached about ₹53 per kilogram in September, an increase of roughly 89% from ₹28 per kilogram a year earlier. According to the report, limited stocks from the rabi crop and a 5-6% decline in production reduced availability in the domestic market.
Weather also disrupted the next supply cycle. Rainfall in June was 40% below the normal average, delaying the sowing of the kharif onion crop and the arrival of new produce. The combination of depleted rabi inventories and delayed kharif supply left consumers and food businesses exposed to a sharp seasonal price increase.
Oil, rice and fuel add pressure
Other kitchen essentials moved higher at the same time. Edible-oil prices increased 12% year on year in September, rice rose 8% and LPG was 10% more expensive. The report linked higher edible-oil costs to global uncertainty and the potential effect of El Niño on palm-oil production. Concern about a possible reduction in paddy acreage and yields was cited as a factor behind the rise in rice prices.
CRISIL expected festival demand and restricted onion availability to keep prices under pressure during the early part of October. It also anticipated gradual relief toward the end of the month as the new kharif crop entered the market. Until that supply arrives, higher meal costs may constrain household discretionary spending and influence purchasing decisions by restaurants, caterers and food processors serving India’s price-sensitive domestic market.
