Have the tables turned? Man finds 'cai fan' cheaper in Singapore than JB

For the longest time, many Singaporeans have endured time-consuming jams at the land border checkpoints under the assumption that most things in Malaysia are more affordable than in Singapore, given the exchange rate. 

But is that really true?

One Malaysian man, who travels across the border frequently to work in Singapore, begs to differ. 

In fact, he said that he finds the food in Singapore much more affordable than in Johor that he even has his meals here first every day before heading back home across the Causeway.

This man shared these thoughts in a Facebook group recently and asked if any other Malaysians did the same, reported the China Press on Sept 17. 

He uploaded an image of one of his meals from a mixed rice or 'cai fan' stall in Singapore consisting of a mound of rice paired with meat and tofu costing a mere $2.70. 

To compare, he said that if he had purchased the exact same thing in JB, it would have set him back by RM12 ($3.79) – saving him about a dollar if he were to have his meal here. 

Some netizens agree with him, that the same amount of food would have cost him some RM12 in JB while others say that it'll be hard to find such 'cai fan' prices in Singapore given rising food prices here. 

This is not the first time some diners have complained about high food prices in Malaysia, comparing it to Singapore.

Back in April, a restaurant owner from Kedah lamented that a group of nine customers called his food "very expensive".

The group had forked out RM148.40 for their entire meal consisting of seven dishes like pork ribs, kung pao prawns and braised tofu. 

The owner said the prices were justifiable due to the rise in chicken, pork and oil prices, adding that RM150 isn't even enough to get fish, meat and vegetables at the market for nine people. 

He also shared that business owners like himself "do not dare raise prices in order to retain their own customers". 

Malaysians aren't the only ones who feel the pinch — even folks living in Singapore do so too. 

Recently, a woman living in Singapore shared about her recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, comparing the food prices between the two countries.

She said that she was surprised to find that "Kuala Lumpur food is not that cheap" despite being "less expensive than Singapore". 

To substantiate this claim, she compared the prices of char kway teow sold in hawker centres in Singapore and Malaysia and found them to be quite similar at around $4 to $5 a plate. 

In general, food prices in JB alone have increased, especially after the influx of Singaporean visitors thanks to the reopening of the Singapore-Malaysia border, reported Malaysian publication The Star on Aug 19. 

The rise in prices is also partly due to the strong Singdollar.

Business owners there also said then that they are willing to increase their prices despite having to risk losing local customers due to the rising cost of living.

Are food prices in Singapore really that much more affordable?

Over in Singapore, some have been complaining about having to pay more for their food in recent times. 

One man complained about having to fork out $11 for 'cai fan'. 

He had purchased this back in June from a 'cai fan' stall in Ang Mo Kio and had ordered rice, fried Batang (mackerel fish) and a yong tau foo dish. 

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While he admitted that fish is known to be an expensive option, he said $11 was simply "too much" and he had only expected to pay up to $6 for his meal. 

In a more recent incident, a man lamented about his $12 'cai fan' that his wife got from a Jurong West coffee shop stall. 

The bulk of the cost came from a piece of fish that was $8. Upset, the man had even confronted the stall but in response, he was told that the fish was pricey as fresh sea bass had been used. 

However, the man noted that the stall had listed fish dishes at $2.50 to $6. To add more salt to his wound, the man claimed that the fish "was not even cooked properly and tasted really bad". 

"It's totally unbelievable that they feel it's all right to charge this amount, telling me that it's fresh fish," he said disgruntledly. 

ALSO READ: 'Economic noodles selling at non-economical price': Singapore diners complain of high food prices, shrinking portions

melissateo@asiaone.com