WITH inflation driving businesses to increase prices, Ramadan bazaars are no exception, with significant price hikes leaving consumers struggling to keep up.
A local man who recently bought food for his family at a bazaar was shocked when his total bill came up to a staggering RM150—for just nine items.
According to a Threads post by Nik Syafiq, he detailed his purchase, which included three main dishes, one appetiser, two desserts, and three drinks.
“Five years ago, this would have cost around RM50-60 at most. Back then, a plate of nasi tomato with chicken was RM6. Now? RM12!” he wrote.
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While Nik acknowledged that cooking at home is the more budget-friendly option, he explained that he wanted his children to experience the lively atmosphere of a Ramadan bazaar.
Nik also raised concerns about whether food and drink prices at bazaars will continue to rise in the coming years.
“What really gets me thinking is, how much will a trip to the bazaar cost in the next five or 10 years? RM200 per visit? Maybe even RM300?” he questioned.
While he recognised the impact of rising costs of raw ingredients, Nik argued that at some point, these price hikes would stop making sense.
“If you’re going to spend that much, you might as well go to a mid-range restaurant for a buffet,” he concluded.
Many commenters on Nik’s post agreed with his frustration, noting that the food at Ramadan bazaars is not only expensive but often lacks quality.
“For RM150, we could get a decent meal at a restaurant for a family. We went last year once or twice and ended up spending RM30-50 per person. Not looking forward to any bazaar this year,” a netizen remarked.
“I stopped going to bazaar Ramadan. I feel they are unskilled cooks that are just greedy. It’s such a shame that a beloved tradition has been stooped to such a low ground,” said another netizen.
“I think it’s been around five to six years since I last stepped foot in a bazaar because of the ridiculous pricing and lack of good options. I want to support local but this is outright cutthroat but the one charging them high rent is to be blamed as well for greed,” another user commented.
