Ed Miliband said people would be "choking on their cornflakes" after David Cameron urged firms to use windfalls from cheaper oil to fund pay rises.
The Labour leader was speaking at a conference of the left-of-centre think tank, the Fabian Society.
He accused David Cameron trying to "magic away" the problems faced by struggling families.
And he promised to "balance the books" if his party won the general election.
Mr Miliband's comments followed a call from the prime minister to pass on the benefits of falling oil prices.
Speaking on Friday during his visit to the US, Mr Cameron told reporters at the White House that he wanted "companies' success passed through in terms of wage increases".
He also urged employers to pay the "living wage", which is higher than the national minimum wage of £6.50 an hour.
But Mr Miliband said the Conservatives were trying to "wipe out years of failure to improve living standards".
'Out of touch'"Start Quote
End Quote Ed Miliband Labour leaderYou can't magic away people being £1,600 a year worse off by trying to take credit for falling oil prices"
He claimed the government had "shown a tin ear" to the reality faced by thousands.
And he added: "They have denied the cost of living crisis. They have been woefully out of touch with the daily struggles of families.
"They have rubbished the idea that people are worse off. Even this week, George Osborne was saying we were set under him to be 'the richest country in the world', and that his economic victory is complete.
"But we wake up this morning to hear that the prime minister thinks 'Britain needs a pay rise'.
"People across the country will have been choking on their cornflakes."
Mr Cameron spoke to reporters during his visit to Washington The price of a barrel of oil has fallen to less than $50 in recent months - less than half its value last summer - amid falling demand and increased US shale field production.
Figures show record earnings in the manufacturing and service sectors as firms benefit from cheaper oil.
Mr Miliband told the conference: "Five years of denial, complacency and failure on living standards, and less than four months before an election, he claims to have woken up to the problem.
"You can't wipe out five years of failure on living standards with pre-election pleading.
"You can't magic away people being £1,600 a year worse off by trying to take credit for falling oil prices."
Miliband accuses PM over pay plea
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