Hari Raya Aidilfitri is here again, and Muslims around the country are preparing for their biggest celebration of the year. From filling feasts such as rendang, lemang, and ketupat, to brand new fancy clothes, Hari Raya has always been a very festive celebration, if not a little extravagant.
But in recent years, stories of how Hari Raya gets more expensive to celebrate crops up. From the rising price of goods, to just how expensive designer Raya clothes are this year, people are starting to notice prices creeping up with each passing year.
So to get down to the truth in this matter, let’s have a look at all the typical Hari Raya expenses, and how much it costs this year compared to last year.
‘Duit Raya’
When it comes to Hari Raya expenses, perhaps no expense is as ubiquitous as the ‘Duit Raya’. The Hari Raya version of Chinese angpows, it is traditionally given to children and people who are not working.
So how much does giving ‘Duit Raya’ costs? Well this very much depends on each individual, depending on just how much they’re giving in, and how much money they put in one packet.
The basic rule of thumb is simple, and that’s to give what you can afford. If you find yourself losing sleep over how much money you need to spend for this, then you’re probably allocating too much for it.
Hari Raya feast and goodies
So is it true that the price of cooking a Hari Raya Feast is more expensive this year than the last?
Well,the government is doing their part in trying to keep goods’ prices down by implementing annual price controls around this time. However, as the following table will point out, the ceiling price for this year is still higher than the ceiling price last year.
| 2021 ceiling price | 2022 ceiling price | |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken (KG) | RM7.90 | RM8.90 |
| Beef (KG) | RM34.00 | RM35.00 |
| Ikan Kembung (mackerel) (per kg) | RM10.00 | RM15.00 |
| Red chillies (KG) | RM14.00 | RM17.00 |
| Dried chillies (KG) | RM17.00 | RM21.00 |
| Grated Coconut (KG) | RM7.20 | RM7.60 |
Source; KPDNHEP
Another aspect of the Hari Raya feast that can set you back a pretty penny this year is in making Hari Raya cookies, or more affectionately known as ‘Kuih Raya’. As you can see from this table, generally most of the goods involved in making your Hari Raya feast have increased in price.
Although it’s hard to pinpoint the exact cost difference of ‘Kuih Raya’ between last year and this year, news reports have detailed the massive price hike for baking supplies, which in turn will definitely drive up the price of these sweet and savoury treats, whether you’re making it yourself or you’re buying it from bakeries, sundry shops or night market.
‘Baju Raya’
Now we move to the next most important part of Hari Raya, Raya clothes or as it’s more commonly known, ‘Baju Raya’. Okay so just how much can your festive attire cost?
Well it depends on the quality, and just how much new clothing you plan buy. Typically, as with normal clothes, the female variant of ‘Baju Raya’, the ‘Baju Kurung’ can be a lot more expensive, due to just how intricate it can get.
Meanwhile, for men, ‘Baju Melayu’ can typically be purchased at a much lower price.
Here’s a table with how much your Raya clothing can set you back;
| 2021 price | 2022 price | |
|---|---|---|
| Baju Kurung | RM100-RM500 | RM100-RM500 |
| Baju Melayu | RM70-RM250 | RM70-RM250 |
Source; Jakel 2021, Jakel 2022, Fashion Valet 2021, Fashion Valet 2022
As you can see here, the price for Baju Melayu and Baju Kurung hasn’t really changed all that much. So here’s one Hari Raya expense that did not get more expensive compared to last year.
‘Balik kampung’
One of the most coveted Hari Raya activities, going back to your hometown or ‘Balik Kampung’. For this activity, a bulk of the expense depends on how far away you are from your hometown.
Which is why the only thing we’re going to be comparing here is the price of petrol for last year’s Raya, and this year’s Raya. Of course, we also still have a ceiling price for RON95 petrol and diesel; which means that it cannot get more expensive from this point.
| Raya 2021 price | Raya 2022 price | |
|---|---|---|
| RON95 | RM2.05 | RM2,05 |
| RON97 | RM2.60 | RM3.81 |
| Diesel | RM2.15 | RM2.15 |
Here’s a sample calculation to illustrate the difference in cost between last year and this year. The cost for you to travel back to your hometown is pretty much the same every year, except if you use RON97, which means that your cost of petrol has pretty much skyrocketed.
Hometown = Bandaraya Melaka
Distance from KL = 145KM
Vehicle used = Toyota Alphard
Cost of petrol (RON97) in 2021 = RM36.28
Cost of petrol (RON97) in 2022 = RM52.33
As you can see, the difference in cost can be quite substantial compared to previous years, due to the fact that RON97 has seen a massive increase in price.
Raya has gotten more expensive
So from our observations, we can fairly say that although there are some Hari Raya expenses that did not change from last year, there are some that have increased by a significant amount. This is especially true if you have dependents and you will need to add in the cost of Raya expenses for the entire family.
Your Hari Raya feast this year will definitely cost a lot more compared to last year, thanks to the rising price of goods. However, for other expenses, you can still keep to your budget if you take the time to look for cheaper options and avoid going overboard on premium or branded goods.
However, as most people know, Raya is not really about how much you spend, or how much you can get. The true spirit of Raya lies in the fact that it is all about who you spend it with. Want to see the spirit of Raya in practice? Then why not watch our Raya video right here!
