Here’s a piece of plain roti prata lying on top of an egg prata:
A piece of plain roti prata used to cost 60 cents. Now it is S$1.50.
A piece of egg prata used to cost a dollar. Now it is S$2.80.
What is prata? It’s a flat bread made from a simple dough of wheat flour, water, ghee, and salt. The dough is stretched, tossed, and flipped into a paper-thin sheet before being folded into layers to create its signature flaky texture.
A splash of curry gravy comes with it, for you to dip your roti in.
Here’s a piece of mutton murtabak:
A piece of mutton murtabak used to cost six bucks. Now it is S$11.50.
Mutton murtabak is a flatbread parcel stuffed with spiced minced mutton, egg, and onions, then fried on a flat griddle until crispy.
My buddy and I ate these Indian roti at an eatery at The Rail Mall couple days ago.
I almost fell off the chair when I realized how much prices have gone up.
When I was a kid, these kind of food cost next to nothing and was eaten only by the very poor.
AI may dominate the headlines these days but my conversations with working people is seldom about the possibility of AI taking away their jobs.
What I do hear consistently is that the cost of living continues to rise faster than their paychecks.
Research backs this up.
Monster’s 2026 WorkWatch Report says that 58% of workers cited “salary won’t keep up with inflation” as their biggest concern for 2026. Many reported taking on extra work, cutting expenses, or adding side gigs.
PwC Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2026 reveals that only about one-third of workers can pay bills and have money left over.
One day, “let them eat roti (bread)” may be the rallying cry.