NEW DELHI, Oct. 7 -- The cost of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals, or thalis, declined year-on-year in September, offering some relief to households.

According to the Crisil Roti Rice Rate (RRR), the average cost of a home-cooked vegetarian thali fell 10%, while that of a non-vegetarian thali declined 6%, driven largely by lower prices of vegetables and pulses. However, high prices of vegetable oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prevented a sharper correction.

The RRR measures the average cost of preparing a thali based on prevailing input prices across north, south, east, and west India. It tracks monthly movements in cereals, pulses, broilers, vegetables, spices, edible oil, and cooking gas to reflect their impact on househ...