How should a household build a living-cost budget for Yemen when prices differ between governorates and economic zones?

Record actual YER prices for the household's governorate, city or rural area, administrative zone, household size and date. Separate housing, utilities, food, mobility, health, education, family needs, communication and leisure, and do not replace these figures with a national average.

How should water and electricity costs be estimated in a Yemen household budget?

List the actual supply sources, such as a local network, well, tanker, solar system, generator or public connection, and record purchase, fuel, battery, repair and delivery costs separately. The Sa'dah example of about YER 200 per cubic metre through a network and more than YER 1,500 by tanker is local evidence, not a national tariff.

What does the Minimum Food Basket show about food costs in Yemen, and why is it not a full living-cost budget?

The Minimum Food Basket measures the price of a basic food package and must be tied to a location, currency zone and date. It excludes housing, water, energy, transport, health, education, communication and other household costs, so it cannot represent total living expenses.

Can a household count cash assistance as regular income when estimating living costs in Yemen?

Cash assistance should be recorded separately from regular income because access depends on vulnerability, identity verification, beneficiary lists, operating conditions and available funding. Unconditional or emergency transfers may help with food, health, water or school fees, but they are not guaranteed monthly income.

Costs in Yemen

Living costs in Yemen vary sharply by governorate, city or rural area, administrative zone, household size, income, security conditions and displacement status. A realistic estimate separates housing, utilities, food, mobility, health, education, family needs, communication and leisure. Prices should be recorded in Yemeni rial (YER) with the location and date, because Yemen has no single reliable national cost-of-living index. The Minimum Food Basket is a reference for basic food prices, not a complete household budget.

Tip

Treat a Yemen living-cost estimate as a location-specific planning tool, not as a national monthly price. Build it in YER for the actual governorate and supply conditions, protect food, water, energy, mobility and health first, and keep assistance separate from dependable income. Add housing, education and communication according to the household's circumstances, then review the figures whenever prices, exchange rates or local conditions change.

byHuda&Yahya

Yemen has two economic and currency zones, and prices can differ substantially between areas administered by different authorities. Urban and rural households also face different costs, especially for water, transport, fuel and access to health or education. Households displaced by conflict and families hosting displaced people may have additional shelter, transport, care and documentation costs. A national average can therefore conceal the amount needed in a particular governorate or town. Housing may involve rent, home ownership, staying with a host family or temporary displacement accommodation. There is no reliable current national rent schedule. Rent levels are especially significant in displacement-hosting areas such as Ma'rib. UNHCR cash-for-rent support is typically provided for about six months to selected households according to need, local market conditions and available funding; it should not be treated as guaranteed income. Electricity commonly combines solar systems, private generators and limited public supply. About 76% of people have some electricity access, but only about 12% depend on a utility connection. Solar equipment creates purchase, financing, battery and repair costs, while generators create fuel and maintenance costs. YEEAP has supported solar systems for more than 117,000 households and photovoltaic systems for more than 450,000 people, but these figures do not establish a universal household tariff. Water may come from local networks, wells, solar pumps or commercial tanker deliveries. A UNICEF example from Sa'dah recorded about YER 200 per cubic metre through a network and more than YER 1,500 by tanker; these are local examples, not national prices. Food is often available in markets, but high prices restrict access. The Minimum Food Basket tracks a basic food package. In the Internationally Recognized Government areas, its local-currency cost in December 2025 was about 20% lower than in December 2024 and 37% below the July 2025 peak, while its US-dollar cost was about 2% higher than in December 2024. In Sana'a and Sana'a City under the Sana'a-based authority, the basket was about 7% to 8% above its five-month moving average in November 2025. These figures show why food estimates need a location, currency zone and date. Mobility costs include fares, fuel, vehicle repairs and the time or extra transport required to pass damaged roads and checkpoints. Rural travel is often more expensive than urban travel, and transport affects access to food, health services and work. December 2025 monitoring recorded monthly petrol increases of 11% to 17% in some governorates, while national Internationally Recognized Government indicators showed petrol up 3% and diesel down 1% that month. Historical estimates such as a single four-wheel-drive journey costing around USD 30 are not current tariffs and should not be used as a national price. Health spending can include consultations, medicines, tests, hospital treatment, transport and a companion's costs. About 19.6 million people face difficult access to basic health care. In August 2025, 5,175 of 5,503 assessed health service delivery units were at least partly operating, but 1,913 were only partly functional and 1,277 were only partly accessible. Public user charges and private payment are both relevant, while insurance remains limited. Humanitarian cash, vouchers or services may reduce costs for some households but cannot be assumed in a standard budget. Education costs include fees where charged, books, stationery, uniforms, transport and examinations. Indirect costs can include lost work time or care time. Around 3.7 million children aged 5 to 17 were out of school in 2025. Public, private, community and alternative learning arrangements differ locally, and no current national fee standard applies across all providers. Historical figures from Amanat Al-Asimah should not be projected into 2026. Family costs rise with children, disability, chronic illness and care responsibilities. The Social Welfare Fund remains a national reference system, while UNICEF unconditional and emergency cash transfers have reached roughly 1.5 million beneficiary cases and about 9 million people, but payment access depends on beneficiary lists, identity verification, payment sites, mobile teams or home outreach and available funding. Communication budgets usually cover a SIM card, mobile data, top-ups, a device and charging or backup electricity. Mobile internet is the main access channel, and a 5 GB data-only mobile broadband basket represented about 12% of gross national income per person in 2025. Rural and low-income households can therefore face a relatively high communication burden even when the nominal data price is similar. Reliable national household spending data for leisure is not available; leisure spending appears mainly informal, family-based or community-based and usually ranks below food, water, health, education and mobility. A practical household budget should first be written in YER for the actual location and should distinguish fixed, variable and one-off costs. It should include housing, utilities, food, mobility, health, education, family needs, communication and leisure, then add a buffer for care and transport where the household faces vulnerability. For a minimum scenario, calculate food, water, energy, mobility and health first. A fuller scenario adds housing, education and communication. Convert to USD only with the date and currency zone stated: the December 2025 reference was approximately YER 1,616 per USD in Internationally Recognized Government areas and YER 534 per USD in Sana'a-based authority areas. Do not average rent, water, fuel or food prices across these zones. Record cash assistance, in-kind support and price relief separately from household income because their timing and eligibility are not universal.