Rising prices during Ramadan in Dagestan also affected tourists.

Grocery prices have risen during the month of Ramadan, both at markets and in stores, according to Makhachkala residents. Amid the overall price hike, cafe and restaurant owners were also forced to raise prices.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot," the month of Ramadan began in Dagestan on February 19. Before Ramadan, prices for meat and eggs in Makhachkala sharply increased. Retailers said the price increases were forced. With the onset of the month of fasting, many food service establishments in Makhachkala have changed their hours and are only opening in the evening. Residents and tourists complained that it has become difficult to find a cafe open during the day.

Raisa, the administrator of a Makhachkala cafe, told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that during Ramadan, their establishment is open from 2 p.m.

"There are very few people in the morning, so we made this decision. We didn't raise prices just before Ramadan, although they had risen significantly, especially for meat. For example, a kilogram of beef costs 800-900 rubles. There are few tourists now, but they don't complain about the prices of dishes, perhaps because theirs are even more expensive. For example, main courses with meat and a side dish cost about 450 rubles," says Raisa.

"We slightly increased the cost of dishes; we had to." "This is due to the widespread rise in food prices, especially meat. This has primarily affected shashlik, which tourists typically order. A serving of beef shashlik costs about 1,000 rubles, and lamb shashlik costs 800. People say it's expensive, but we can't do anything about it; we need to make at least some profit," said Rasul, a co-owner of a restaurant in Makhachkala.

Compared to last year, Makhachkala residents told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, food prices have risen significantly.

"Yesterday I went to the store and bought a dozen eggs for 150 rubles; in the winter, they cost less than 100 rubles. "A liter of kefir costs 130 rubles, it used to be less than a hundred," said Khadizhat.

"Prices at the market are a little cheaper than in the stores, and you can still haggle there. But you wouldn't go to the market just for a cage (a pack of thirty eggs - ed. "Caucasian Knot") or a couple of packs of butter and cheese. We buy in nearby stores. Prices have risen sharply since the beginning of Ramadan, especially meat, eggs, and some vegetables," says Zaur.

There's no point in going to non-Muslim regions before Eid al-Fitr to buy groceries; it doesn't save the budget considering the cost of the trip, said Akhmed.

"Nearby regions are Kalmykia and "Stavropol is a long way away. We don't know what the selection and prices are like there, so there's no point," he said.

"We have a car, and before Ramadan, the family went out of town to the wholesale market and stocked up on essential groceries. Prices have gone up compared to the beginning of the year. But the biggest jump will happen, as always, at the end of Ramadan, during the Eid al-Fitr holiday," Makhachkala resident Rashid said earlier.