Taiz fuel costs reach 120,000 riyals as supply routes close

The cost of a 20-litre container of petrol in Taiz reached 120,000 Yemeni riyals on Tuesday, a fourfold increase from the price recorded in October 2025. This sharp rise follows the closure of the city's two primary land supply routes in early October. The price of diesel has also doubled to 90,000 riyals, while a standard cooking gas cylinder now costs 40,000 riyals.

The surge in energy costs has directly impacted the cost of living for approximately one million residents. Bus fares have increased by 150 percent, rising from 200 riyals to 500 riyals per ride. According to United Nations assessments, the prices of available food and fuel have more than doubled since the road closures began. Water production in the city has fallen by half due to diesel shortages affecting pumping stations.

The isolation began on October 3 when forces loyal to the internationally recognised government closed the eastern al-Houban crossing. They cited attempted incursions by Houthi forces. The following day, the Houthis captured the town of al-Turbah, cutting off the Taiz-Al-Turbah-Aden Road, which serves as the main artery for goods. Since October 5, fuel stations in the city have remained closed.

Yousef Farhan, a 39-year-old father of four, described the change in his household's diet. He said his family now consumes little other than rice or beans, a shift from their previous diet. Farhan previously sold cucumbers from a cart outside a school, earning between 4,000 and 5,000 riyals a day. That income once covered a monthly gas cylinder, but the school's closure ended his work, forcing the family to rely on firewood for cooking.

Sayyun Burhan, 40, stated that her family survives on a daily basis, waiting to see how each day passes. Her husband lost his job at a local store and struggles to find new work due to poor health. Burhan keeps her children indoors to protect them, noting that they have been deprived of schooling and play.

The health sector faces severe strain from the supply disruption. The World Health Organization reported on October 22 that 42 health facilities in Taiz are experiencing critical shortages of fuel, oxygen, and medicine. Fatima Khaled, a 55-year-old patient with kidney failure, sleeps on the floor of the dialysis hall at Al-Jumhuri General Hospital. She said she cannot afford transport from her village or a room near the facility, describing the hospital hall as her only shelter.