Taiz fuel costs quadruple as land routes close

A 20-litre container of petrol in Taiz now sells for 120,000 Yemeni riyals, a four-fold increase from last year's price of 30,000 riyals. This spike reflects a sharp contraction in supply chains following the closure of the city's main land routes. The cost of 20 litres of diesel has nearly doubled, rising from 46,000 riyals to 90,000 riyals. A standard cooking gas cylinder now costs 40,000 riyals, up from 11,400 riyals earlier in the year.

The Taiz-Al-Turbah-Aden Road, the primary artery for goods, was severed on October 4 when Houthi forces captured al-Turbah. Government loyalists closed the eastern al-Houban crossing on October 3, citing attempted incursions. These moves isolated Yemen's third-largest city, which houses approximately one million of the country's 43 million people. Fuel stations in the city have remained closed since October 5, halting the distribution of diesel needed for water pumps and hospital generators.

Household budgets are absorbing the shock of these price hikes. Bus fares have increased by 150 percent, climbing from 200 riyals to 500 riyals per ride. Water delivered by tanker has roughly tripled in price since the fighting intensified. Local authorities reported that diesel shortages have disrupted pumps, while access restrictions prevent tankers from the Al-Dhabab basin from entering the city. The United Nations warned on October 20 that road closures were blocking vital supplies and reducing water production by half.

Yousef Farhan, a 39-year-old father of four, lost his income when shelling forced the closure of the school where he sold cucumbers. He previously earned between 4,000 and 5,000 riyals a day, enough to buy a monthly gas cylinder. Now, his family cooks over firewood. Sayyun Burhan, 40, reports that her family lives day-to-day because her husband's health prevents him from finding new work. Her household still requires funds for rent, food, and cooking gas.

The economic strain extends to the healthcare sector. Fatima Khaled, a 55-year-old patient with kidney failure, sleeps on the floor of the dialysis hall at Al-Jumhuri General Hospital. She cannot afford the cost of repeated travel from her village or a private room. On October 22, the World Health Organization stated that 42 health facilities in Taiz reported severe shortages of fuel, oxygen, and medicine. For residents like Khaled, the distance and cost of travel have turned routine medical care into a financial burden.

The closure of routes has reshaped daily life in the city. Families report limited food options, often relying on rice or beans due to the high cost of other ingredients. Children miss school as parents keep them indoors for safety. The combination of high fuel costs and disrupted logistics has made basic necessities, from water to transportation, significantly more expensive for the city's residents.