In July the World Bank said about 40 per cent of the population were living under the national poverty line.
Consumer Price Index inflation hit 17.3 per cent year-on-year in March, it added.
The price of rice has also shot up thanks to increased transport costs and as the military and anti-junta fighters turn swathes of the country into battlegrounds.
Even the state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper carries almost daily reports on the rising cost of rice, eggs, vegetables, bus travel and rent.
Last week the price of a litre of diesel jumped by around six US cents overnight, state media reported, to a high of 2,440 kyat per litre.
On the day before last year’s coup, customers in Yangon were paying 695 kyat at the pump in Yangon according to industry figures.
This week the junta announced it had formed a steering committee to purchase fuel from ally Russia, but gave no details on when or how this would begin.
Many people are relying on charity to make ends meet.
“If we cook at home, there is no electricity, rice is expensive to buy,” said Lay Lay, 68, one of hundreds queuing at a monastery for a free meal of curry and rice.
“Cooking costs are too high for someone who is retired.”
Ashin Ottamasiri, who supervises the distribution, said his monastery is giving out coupons to 500 people every day for food the monks cook using ingredients donated to them.
“But some days there are more than 600 people,” he said. “If we run out of rice and curry, we give cakes, snacks and fruits.”
“I can’t give shelter for many people but I can share food so people will have meals like I do.”