Meanwhile, in Rajasthan, Telangana and Uttarakhand, the cost was just above Rs 50, which means a person’s average grocery bill in these states was Rs 1,500 in November 2025. In contrast, it was around Rs 2,324 in Mizoram.

Mizoram’s neighbouring states had among the most expensive food in the country. Among the states for which data are available, Arunachal Pradesh has the second-highest food prices, with groceries for a day (two meals) costing Rs 66. In Meghalaya, the same meals cost Rs 63 to prepare (not including the cost of fuel).

Outside of the northeastern states, Tamil Nadu had the most expensive groceries at Rs 60 for the essentials.

IndiaSpend analysed the price of food commodities released by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs every day and calculated the cost of the simplest meal that meets the National Institute of Nutrition’s guidelines. Different from the consumer food price index released by MoSPI, our analysis shows the costs of meeting nutrition requirements.

This cost is calculated based on the most affordable vegetarian foods required to meet the nutrition requirements suggested by the NIN. We used pulses (chana dal, which is the least expensive dal), cereal (rice and wheat flour), vegetables (onions, potatoes and tomatoes), palm oil, milk, salt and sugar. Daily prices from across the country are updated at 6 p.m., and monthly averages are added on the first of the following month.

This basket, which can be used to cook an inexpensive thali for four people twice a day, does not include leafy vegetables or fruits, sources of protein other than pulses, cereals like millets or packaged foods. It also does not account for regional variations or personal preferences for cereals or cooking oils. The cost of cooking fuel was also not considered, leaving us with just the cost of groceries.

Food inflation, as measured by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, was -5.02% in October 2025. This broadly means that food items were cheaper compared to last year. Some states saw higher prices: For instance, Kerala had the highest inflation (6.18%), followed by Lakshadweep (5.88%) and Andaman and Nicobar Islands (4.14%).

In contrast, the average monthly cost of groceries for a nutritious diet in India for one person was Rs 1,613 in October. This is a small decrease (around 1%) compared to the cost in September, when it was Rs 1,630. Compared to October 2024, the cost of groceries fell by 14.7%, as per the data.

Food most expensive in the northeast, Ladakh

The Himalayan states have the most expensive pulses, vegetables, cooking oil, milk and sugar in the country. Gram dal, a kilogram of which costs Rs 87 on average, sold for Rs 129 in Ladakh in October 2025, the highest price that month in the country. Affordable sources of fats and proteins are essential to fighting malnutrition.

However, the average monthly expenditure on pulses in Ladakh is lower than that on eggs, fish and meat, as per the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey report from 2022-23. In rural areas, pulses were 1.1% of the monthly consumption expenditure, whereas eggs, meat and fish constituted 7.9% of the budget. Similarly, in urban Ladakh, expenditure on pulses was 0.8% of the budget compared to 6.7% on eggs, fish and meat.

In Ladakh, where a kilo of tomato costs Rs 79 in October, the horticulture department grows vegetables in greenhouses in response to the hostile climate of the region, as IndiaSpend reported in November 2024. The region has an anaemia prevalence of 92.8% among women, as per the National Family Health Survey, compared to the national average of 57%.

Nestled in the Himalayas bordering China and Pakistan, at 3,000 metres above sea level, the region freezes with under -40°C temperatures during winters, and receives scant rainfall of about 10 cm annually as it falls in the Himalayan rain shadow, we had reported. These extremes of climate breed a crisis from inadequate availability of food and a less than optimally nutritious diet consumed by the vulnerable groups in communities. The regional food production is insufficient to meet the local demand. The situation compels the Leh district to import around 73% of food grains and 67% of vegetables from outside the region.

In 2020, a report published by the administration of the Union territory of Ladakh noted that this has resulted in “unbalanced diet”, and that micronutrient deficiencies, including the lack of vitamin A, B6, B12 and folic acid, are prevalent in the region.

Transportation, logistics impact prices

Mountain regions are especially vulnerable to climate change and the resulting food insecurity, according to a Food and Agriculture Organisation report from 2020. Armed conflicts add to the vulnerability of the residents of these regions, according to the report.

Fuel prices also add to the cost of food in these regions, and the further they are from the marketplaces, the higher the cost of transportation to these places.

Bandhs, or calls for shutdown of services in disturbed areas, were investigated as a cause for high prices in the northeastern states by a standing committee of the parliament.

Being “consuming states”, the northeastern region sees generally higher prices than those in the producing states, noted the committee. “...normal life of consumers in the Northeastern region is often marred by recurrent bandhs and strikes,” said the report. “However, there is no impact study on such bands and strikes,” it added.

The government was tasked with setting up more price monitoring centres in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, according to the report submitted by the committee. In addition, the committee recommended that the government mitigate the increase in prices due to bandhs and strikes and rain-induced damage to horticultural produce in the region.

Storage conditions, supply lines need to be improved

Wheat is a staple crop in Ladakh, a cold desert where the monsoon winds reach after shedding their moisture in the plains and mountains. Given the scanty rainfall, managing the water resources is crucial for agriculture in the region. On the other hand, the northeastern hilly states are among the wettest places on earth. Rice is the preferred cereal in these states.

Storing food for the lean period is how mountain communities traditionally survived. At present, they rely on markets or subsidised food from the government. The Food Corporation of India runs 65 godowns in the northeast compared to 576 in the rest of the country.

Disruptions to normal life not only limit the food that is transported to these regions but also interrupt the supply of their produce to places outside these states, as was seen in Himachal Pradesh this year.

In Himachal Pradesh, farmers switched to horticulture from cereal cultivation to make use of the cool climate, which puts the hilly province in a favourable position for growing exotic vegetables. However, the market for these vegetables is located in Delhi, which is where it was airlifted to after rains led to roads closing in the month of September.

The Indian Himalayan region covers 17% of India’s landmass and houses 3.8% of its population. “Mountain agriculture requires much more attention in national and sub-national policies in order to bring its potential to full fruition and so improve the livelihood situation of mountain communities,” said a report by the FAO.

If the mountains’ potential is put to sustainable use, they can provide a diverse array of nutritious food that can solve the malnutrition problem.

This article was orginally published in IndiaSpend and has been republished with permission.