When a full meal becomes a luxury: Low-income earners turn to budget stalls for daily survival

Technician Akib Hossain usually spends his mornings navigating different corners of Dhaka to repair air conditioners. By noon, hunger has set in, but so has the need to stick to a tight budget.

Living in a city mess while his family remains in the village, the young technician must carefully calculate his daily lunch budget after covering accommodation and transport costs.

"I try to keep my lunch within Tk100," he said.

For workers like Akib, a growing network of low-cost restaurants and roadside eateries has become a lifeline as food prices remain high despite signs of easing inflation.

Across Dhaka, rickshaw pullers, security guards, day labourers and shop employees are increasingly relying on these establishments to stretch their earnings.

The meals are simple – rice, lentils and vegetables – but they are often the only affordable option.

At Mitali Hotel in Chankharpul, one of the city's popular budget restaurants, a customer can finish breakfast for Tk30 to Tk50. A paratha costs Tk10, vegetables Tk20 and lentils Tk20.

Lunch and dinner are not much different. A plate of rice costs Tk25, lentils Tk20 and vegetables between Tk25 and Tk35, allowing customers to eat for around Tk70 to Tk80.

What many cannot afford, however, is protein.

A fried egg costs Tk30. Pangas fish sells for Tk90, tilapia Tk100 and koi fish Tk110. A piece of hilsa costs Tk180, while beef and mutton are priced at Tk260 and Tk250, respectively.

For low-income workers, those items have gradually shifted from daily staples to occasional treats.

Mostafa Abrar, owner of Mitali Hotel, said restaurant operators are also under pressure from rising costs.

"Flour prices have increased significantly, but we have not been able to raise the price of parathas. Many of our customers are students and people who come to Dhaka for medical treatment. Raising prices would create difficulties for them," he said.

Similar pricing was found at several budget restaurants in Chankharpul, Banglamotor and nearby areas.

Yet even these establishments are too expensive for some.

In Paribagh, a temporary roadside eatery serves meals at even lower prices. A plate of rice costs Tk10, lentils Tk10 and an egg Tk30. Chicken, pangas fish and koi fish are available for Tk60 per serving.

A mobile phone technician eating there said he could finish a meal for Tk70 or Tk80, compared with Tk150 to Tk200 at a conventional restaurant.

In Begunbari, roadside vendors offer rice for Tk15, eggs for Tk30 and fish dishes for Tk60 to Tk80. Half a serving of beef costs Tk100.

Rickshaw puller Nazrul Islam said he often settles for rice and egg because it is one of the cheapest combinations available.

"A large part of my daily earnings goes towards food. That's why I look for the cheapest option," he said.

Economists and nutrition experts say such choices are becoming increasingly common as household budgets come under strain.

Professor Md Din Islam of the Department of Economics at Dhaka University said spending on food, housing, utilities, transport, education and healthcare has risen significantly, reducing the purchasing power of lower- and middle-income families.

"Many families are cutting discretionary spending, using savings or relying on borrowing," he said.

"The lower-middle class is particularly vulnerable because it lacks both the social protection available to poorer households and the financial cushion enjoyed by wealthier groups."

Professor Md Ruhul Amin of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science at Dhaka University said rising food prices often force households to compromise on nutrition.

"In many cases, people fail to meet their daily calorie and nutritional requirements because of income constraints," he said.

He warned that prolonged dependence on low-cost diets dominated by rice, lentils and vegetables, with limited access to protein-rich foods, could increase the risk of malnutrition and reduce productivity.

According to him, lower-middle-income households are facing growing pressure from inflation but remain largely outside existing social protection programmes.

For workers like Akib, however, the issue is less about economic theory and more about daily survival. Each meal is a calculation, and protein is often the first item removed from the plate when money runs short.