Homemade Diwali sweets vs store-bought mithai: Which is cheaper as ghee, sugar and nuts get costlier?

Diwali 2026 celebrations could become more expensive as rising prices of ghee, sugar and dry fruits push up the cost of traditional sweets. But with ingredients becoming costlier, is preparing laddoos, kaju katli and barfi at home still cheaper than buying them from sweet shops?

For households planning festive treats, the answer depends on the type of sweet, ingredient quality and quantity prepared.

Ghee, dry fruits become costlier

Several dairy cooperatives have increased prices ahead of the festive season. Amul's 1-kg ghee carton now costs ₹680, compared with ₹630 earlier, while Nandini ghee is priced at ₹850 per litre.

Dry fruits have witnessed sharper increases. Pistachio prices have risen 60–70% since last Diwali, while almonds are 20–40% costlier. Premium Peshawari pistachios have touched ₹4,000 per kg, while cashew prices have increased 5–8%.

Sugar prices have also climbed. According to the supplied September inflation figures, sugar prices rose 29.8% year-on-year, adding to the cost of homemade sweets.

Homemade vs store-bought: What does 1 kg cost?

The following estimates use illustrative ingredient quantities and retail prices. Actual costs vary by city, brand, recipe and sweet-shop quality.

Illustrative estimates, not verified market quotations. Homemade costs include ingredients and approximate cooking fuel but exclude labour and equipment.

Besan laddoo: Homemade remains economical

Besan laddoo is generally the most economical homemade option because its main ingredients are gram flour, ghee and sugar.

Preparing 1 kg could cost approximately ₹300–400, depending on ghee consumption and ingredient quality. Premium sweet shops may charge ₹500–750 for a comparable quantity.

Kaju katli: Savings depend on cashew prices

Cashews account for a substantial portion of kaju katli's production cost. Preparing 1 kg at home could cost ₹850–1,100, while retail prices may range from ₹1,100 to ₹1,600.

However, buying small quantities of premium cashews can reduce the savings.

Dry-fruit barfi: Premium ingredients change the calculation

Dry-fruit barfi is particularly vulnerable to rising nut prices. Almonds, pistachios, cashews and figs can push homemade preparation costs to ₹900–1,300 per kg.

Retail prices may range from ₹1,300 to ₹2,000, depending on composition and packaging.

Which option should households choose?

Homemade sweets generally remain cheaper when prepared in larger quantities using ingredients purchased economically.

However, cooking fuel, preparation time, wastage and expensive premium ingredients can narrow the difference.

For households preparing smaller quantities, store-bought sweets may offer better convenience and sometimes comparable costs.