The average cost of preparing a thali at home is calculated based on input prices prevailing in north, south, east and west India. The monthly change reflects the impact on the common man’s expenditure. The data also reveals the ingredients (cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil and cooking gas) driving the change in the cost of the thali.

Vegetable prices soften

The cost of home-cooked vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis declined by ~6% each on-year in May 2025.

• The decline was due to a sharp drop in prices of key vegetables led by high-base effect:
  
  • Tomato prices fell ~29% to Rs 23/ kg from Rs 33/kg in May 2025 as concerns over yield had lifted prices last year
    
  • Prices of onion and potato declined ~15% and ~16%, respectively, onyear as potato prices had shot up last year due to crop damage following blight infestations and unseasonal rainfall in West Bengal, while onion prices had increased due to lower rabi acreage and yield, as water availability in key growing states – Maharashtra, MP and Karnataka - was low
    
• A 19% on-year jump in vegetable oil prices due to a rise in import duty and a 6% on-year rise in the price of liquefied petroleum gas cylinder prevented afurther drop in thali cost
• Along with lower vegetable prices, an estimated 6% on-year decline in the price of broiler made non-vegetarian thalis cheaper. The decline in prices ofbroiler - which makes up about 50% of the non-vegetarian thali cost - was due to oversupply and lower demand amid bird flu reported in parts of Maharashtra,Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka

On-month, the cost of a vegetarian thali remained stable, while that of non-vegetarian thali reduced ~2% in May 2025 

• Potato and tomato prices rose ~3% and ~10% on-month, respectively, while onion prices dipped ~10%, thereby keeping the vegetarian thali cost unchanged on-month
• An estimated 4% on-month decline in broiler prices contributed towards the decline in the non-vegetarian thali cost