Guide On The Different Durian Types And How Much They Cost

Durian season is back, and the king of fruits is spotted crowding out fruit stalls at almost every corner, marking their return and adding another reason for durian lovers to indulge this festive season.

1 more reason to celebrate this is that the prices of durians have fallen by about 40% from 6 months ago, making it the largest price drop in 10 years.

Average prices of popular Durians in Singapore (without husk) per 400g box

	June 2022	December 2022
Black Gold Durian (MSW)	$57/box	$34/box
Mao Shan Wang (Regular)	$50/box	$30/box
D24	$$35/box	$21/box

Why Have Prices Dropped?

The drop in prices is partly due to an increase in durian supply from Malaysia plantations in Pahang, Johor, and Genting Highlands.

There is usually a seasonal dip in prices in December too. More people are also travelling for the holidays and the demand for durians will be lower because of that.

In addition, with the borders reopening, people can travel to Malaysia for durians instead of buying and consuming them in Singapore. Another reason is that China’s borders are still mostly closed off and the durian supply that was meant for Chinese consumers has also hit a roadblock.

All these factors contributed to prices of durians dropping 40% for Dec 2022.

How Much Should My Durian Cost?

To determine the “right” pricing of the durians, we researched the price of 6 durian varieties from 6 durian sellers.

The results showed us that the durian market is quite fragmented. As you can see from the chart below, not all sellers sell the same durian varieties and the pricing of the durians is very varied across the board, depending on the “grade” or type of durian you choose to buy.

There is no price monopoly in the Singapore durian market and it is truly a competitive market with some sellers selling their durians at low prices.

Note that the indicated prices already account for the 40% “discount” due to the oversupply situation. Sellers are still lowering their prices further to compete against other sellers.

Another observation is that some stores like Ah Seng Durian sell only normal grade durians while there are others like Lexus Durian King and Durian Express Delivery sell only Mao Shan Wangs (MSWs), a popular variety loved by Singaporeans.

The durian breeds Red Prawn and D13 are also observed to be sold by the same sellers. That could be due to their similar attributes (don’t be fooled they taste and smell slightly different).

What Is The Average Price Of Black Gold, Mao Shan Wang, And D24 Durians?

Popular durian varieties like Black Gold MSW, MSW, and D24 durians originate from Malaysia’s Pahang, Johor, Cameron Highlands, and Genting.

You may see MSWs sold at most durian stalls. That’s because they are the most popular durian breed among Singaporeans. Due to the strong interest in MSWs, durian breeders have also introduced and categorised the various MSW grades – such as Black Gold MSW, Old Tree MSW, and normal MSW.

Source: Durian Delivery

Black Gold Durian (MSW)

Taste: Intensely buttery, bittersweet aftertaste, succulent flesh
Colour: Dark greyish green husks; flesh has dark greyish undertone
Place of Origin: Pahang
This breed of durian is currently the crème de la crème of durians (literally). It is a premium class of the popular Mao Shan Wang and the flesh has dark greyish undertones. They are cultivated in private plantations to produce the complex flavour from matured durian trees and are guarded like prized possessions as they cost the most per fruit. They are also only available in seasonal quantities.
As for taste, it is intensely buttery, with a bittersweet aftertaste. There is also a silky texture to the flesh, so some durian lovers enjoy the idea of how smooth it looks and feels.

Source: Durian Delivery

Mao Shan Wang (Old Tree)

Taste: Extremely buttery, bittersweet aftertaste
Colour: Pyramid shaped thorns with green husk tone; flesh has dark greyish undertone
Place of Origin: Pahang
This is a more mature variety of MSWs. The older tree creates a creamier and bittersweet complex taste, adding a dimension to the popular line of MSWs. The flesh is also not as thick and sticky compared with regular MSWs, so you won’t need to wash your hands too many times.

Mao Shan Wang (Regular)

Taste: Buttery, bittersweet, and fibreless
Colour: Pyramid shaped thick short thorns with light green tone; flesh has buttery yellow tone
Place of Origin: Pahang, Johor, and Cameron Highlands
Also known as Butter Durian and Cat Mountain King, they are probably the most popular type among Singaporeans. This variety offers a creamy texture and leaves a bittersweet taste in your mouth.

According to data gathered after surveying 5 durian shops in Singapore, the average price of a 400g box of Black Gold Durian (MSW) costs about $34. But as you can see in the chart below, the pricing from each shop is very varied, as the shops are located in different locations in Singapore and the sales are dependent on various factors such as local footfall, as well as regulars and walk-in customers.

The ability to buy in bulk helps some larger sellers to be able to sell the durians at a more competitive price. For example, Lexus Durian King offers Black Gold Durians at the lowest price of $28. The business is mainly retail facing and it has 6 outlets in Singapore, which explains why it is able to offer the top grade durian at such a competitive pricing. Its outlets are at Upper Serangoon Road, Kovan Hub, Rivervale Plaza, Marine Parade Central, Hougang St 21, and Simei St 3.

When I visited its flagship stall at Upper Serangoon Road there were at least 10 tables and many baskets of durian for sale! Just observing from one outlet, there was already a sea of green durians.

As for normal MSWs (Mao Shan Wangs), the research showed that they are sold in many stores and are easily found. The average price of a 400g MSW is under $30, so do keep that in mind when shopping for your durian – you can refer to the chart below for the suggested durian sellers.

Lastly, we have the simple yet endearing D24s. The prices of D24 durians are more palatable, at slightly under $20 on average for a 400g box. If you want a reasonable D24 durian feast with friends and family without going over the budget, you can consider Durian Delivery.

An 800g D24 unhusked box is priced at $35.20. The low pricing could be due to it providing more supply of fruits of this grade due to its customer’s preference for durians at a lower premium. Durian Delivery calls itself the largest online durian supplier in Singapore, and claims that it offers competitive prices, which seems to be true based on the chart.

Source: Durian Express Delivery

D24/Sultan

Taste: Bittersweet
Colour: Shorter stem than other breeds with brown coloured ring around bottom of stem; flesh has pale yellow tone
Place of Origin: Pahang, Johor, and Cameron Highlands
This variety was famous in the 90s and is still is today. Although slightly overshadowed by its brother the MSW after the latter’s breed surged in popularity.
The taste is not as strong as the MSW and they are known for their creamy texture and slight bittersweet taste.

Red Prawn, D13, Off Season Durians And Some Rare Varieties

Other breeds of durian that are somewhat popular among Singaporeans and offer a slight twist to the usual MSW kings are Red Prawn, D13, Golden Phoenix and Black Pearl Durians.

However, fruits being fruits, some durians are not in season/out of stock right now. This includes Golden Phoenix and Black Pearl Durians.

Red Prawn/Ang Hae

Taste: Both sweet and bitter
Colour: Short and thick thorns; flesh is custardy and smooth
Place of Origin: Pahang and Johor
Just one look and you will likely be able to guess that it is a Red Prawn durian. That’s thanks to its unique vibrant reddish orange coloured flesh. It leans more on the sweet side and is creamier and stickier than most durians.
Another interesting fun fact about this breed is that the taste of the durian depends on the tree it grows from – sweeter for younger durian trees and more bitter for matured durian trees. Do not be fooled by the size of the durian with shell as it usually has thick shells.
For this breed, it would be better to buy them unshelled to know how many pieces of durian you are getting, also try not to pay them by kg and unopened as you are paying for the thick shell.

D13

Taste: Mildly sweet and not bitter
Colour: Thorns are fat and solid and husk is a fresh green colour; deep yellow or brown orange flesh with big seeds
Place of Origin: Johor
A welcome to many households due to its low price point. This breed is often mass produced and can be found in durian stalls even during off-season periods. It is less strong in smell and has a more subtle taste, making it good for entry-level durian eaters.
The top half of the durian husk is usually wider than the bottom half of the durian, giving it an odd shape look. It has large seeds, so it is better to buy the D13s unhusked so you know what you are getting.

Golden Phoenix

Taste: Bittersweet
Colour: Greyish to light grey sharp needle-like thorns; fruit is roundish in shape; flesh has pale yellow tone
Place of Origin: Johor
This breed is slightly smaller than normal durians but it edges out its competitors with its strong smell. It is known to have a bitter taste and watery texture.

Black Pearl/Tai Yuan

Taste: Slightly bitter with milky aftertaste
Colour: Thick thorns with small shell and stubby stem; flesh is pale grey-yellow in tone
This breed has smaller seeds and it has a smooth and creamy flesh with a bittersweet taste that is not too strong.