Check Before You Shop: Can Chicken, Eggs and Tomatoes Cost RM4–RM5 More at Another Store?

If you are willing to switch supermarkets to save RM2–RM5 on groceries, the hard part is usually not the calculation.

It is knowing the prices before you leave home.

KPDN’s PriceCatcher is designed to help with that.

What can PriceCatcher compare?

The official portal currently displays prices for:

316 selected items

across categories including:

• fresh goods;
• dry goods;
• packaged goods;
• milk and baby products;
• cleaning products;
• drinks.

That includes many everyday items such as chicken, eggs, vegetables and household staples.

The most useful feature is local comparison

The goal is not to drive across Malaysia chasing the absolute lowest price.

PriceCatcher supports:

• location-based price search;
• comparison between premises;
• lower-price listings;
• directions to selected premises;
• some promotional information.

For most households, the useful question is:

“Among the two or three stores I would realistically visit, which is cheaper today?”

A real basket example

The following uses prices displayed on the official PriceCatcher portal on 5 Oct 2026 for premises in the Putrajaya area.

It is an example, not a claim about prices in your area today.

Basket:

• standard chicken, 1kg;
• Grade B eggs, 30;
• tomatoes, 1kg.

Shop A — My Hero Hypermarket Presint 3

• Chicken: RM8.99
• Grade B eggs: RM14.80
• Tomatoes: RM5.49

Total:

RM29.28

Shop B — Pasar Mini Borong Big Bazaar Presint 8

• Chicken: RM9.49
• Grade B eggs: RM15.50
• Tomatoes: RM8.99

Total:

RM33.98

Difference:

about RM4.70.

Is RM4.70 worth changing stores for?

It depends on distance and convenience.

If both stores are:

• on your normal route;
• only a few minutes apart;
• easy to park at;

then a RM4–RM5 basket difference can be worth considering.

But if saving RM4.70 means:

• driving 20 extra minutes;
• paying for parking;
• using more petrol;
• waiting in a longer queue;

the saving can disappear quickly.

A better rule is:

Is the saving bigger than the extra travel cost and hassle?

Compare the whole basket, not one product

A store with chicken that is RM1 cheaper is not automatically cheaper overall.

Eggs, vegetables, rice or cooking oil may cost more there.

For grocery shopping, compare the total cost of the items you actually plan to buy.

A simple pre-shopping routine

If tonight’s list includes:

• chicken;
• eggs;
• several vegetables;
• rice or cooking oil;

you can:

1. open PriceCatcher;
2. select your location;
3. search the key items;
4. compare two or three nearby stores;
5. note the biggest differences;
6. roughly total your basket;
7. choose the store that makes sense.

You do not need to optimise every 20 sen.

Focus on the items that move the total most.

Which items are worth checking regularly?

Good candidates include:

• chicken;
• eggs;
• vegetables;
• rice;
• cooking oil;
• baby formula or frequently purchased household products.

Small differences matter more when you buy the same item every week.

Prices change

PriceCatcher is updated, and real store prices can also vary with:

• promotions;
• stock;
• location;
• brand;
• grade;
• pack size.

The RM29.28 versus RM33.98 basket is a real snapshot example, not a permanent ranking of the two stores.

Bottom line

The best use of PriceCatcher is not spending half an hour every day hunting for the absolute lowest price.

Use it for one or two minutes before a grocery run.

If the difference is RM1, convenience may win.

If the basket is RM5–RM10 cheaper and the other store is nearby, changing stores may actually be worth it.