After sugar and tomato price hikes, onions have now become the latest kitchen essential to cross the Rs 200 per kilogram mark — adding more pressure on households already struggling with record inflation.

Soaring prices have made everyday food items unaffordable for many families. Just a few months ago, sugar prices jumped past Rs 200 per kg, taking the sweetness out of daily life. Soon after, tomatoes shot up from Rs.50 to over Rs.. 500 per kg, frustrating consumers across the country.

Now, onions — a staple ingredient in nearly every Pakistani meal — have joined the list of overpriced essentials. In Karachi, the retail price of onions has crossed Rs.200 per kg, while similar price hikes are being reported in Lahore, Peshawar, and Multan.

The unrelenting rise in food prices has pushed basic cooking ingredients beyond reach for most households, reflecting the deepening cost-of-living crisis across Pakistan.

The government’s price control system seems to be failing as inflation continues to surge. In Islamabad, tomatoes are now selling for Rs.380 per kg, followed by Rs.360 in Rawalpindi, Rs.350 in Faisalabad, Rs.340 in Lahore, and Rs.320 in Gujranwala and Sialkot.

According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) — which tracks the prices of 51 essential items in 17 cities — rose by 0.56% during the week ending October 2, 2025. The SPI now stands at 332.17 points, compared to 330.32 the previous week, showing a year-on-year increase of 4.07%.

For the lowest income group earning up to Rs.17,732 per month, inflation climbed by 0.82%, reaching 325.43 points. Other income groups also faced rising costs, underscoring how inflation is affecting every segment of society.

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