Cost of Basic Household Needs Rises 16% in South Sudan, REACH Finds
Credit: FEWS NET
The cost of a minimum basket of essential goods and services for a six-person household in South Sudan rose by 16% in August, reaching 906,023 South Sudanese pounds, according to a new market monitoring report by REACH.
The August increase followed a 6% rise recorded in July, reflecting continued seasonal pressure on food and non-food prices during the lean season.
The Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (JMMI), led by REACH under the South Sudan Cash Working Group, surveyed 1,125 key informants across 45 assessed locations from Aug. 1-12. The assessment covered prices of essential food and non-food items and costs associated with the Multi-Sector Survival Minimum Expenditure Basket, or MSSMEB.
The median cost of the food basket also increased by 16% in August to 705,116 SSP, compared with 606,761 SSP in July. In U.S. dollar terms, however, the MSSMEB and food basket costs each fell by about 2%.
The report attributed the higher costs in local currency partly to the depreciation of the South Sudanese pound. The official exchange rate weakened by 18%, from 4,871 SSP per U.S. dollar in July to 5,661 SSP in August.
Traders cited currency depreciation as the leading constraint on market operations, reported by 40% of respondents. Other major challenges included high taxation at 37%, fuel prices at 28%, poor road conditions at 26%, checkpoint costs at 22% and lack of capital at 20%.
The highest increases in the MSSMEB were recorded in Paloich in Melut County, where costs rose by 32%, followed by Baliet Town at 30%, Jur River at 29% and Nyangore in Ulang County at 28%.
The report said Ganyiel and Ayod consistently recorded among the highest MSSMEB costs in both July and August. Other high-cost markets in August included Malakal Town, Panyagor and Bentiu IDP Camp.
Food prices also remained particularly high in Unity, Jonglei and Upper Nile states. Ganyiel and Bentiu IDP Camp in Unity, Ayod and Panyagor in Jonglei, and Malakal Town in Upper Nile were among the markets recording the highest food basket costs.
Several staple food prices increased during the month. Maize grain rose 25% from July, sugar increased 20%, sorghum and salt each rose 12%, while cooking oil increased 11%. Beans rose 8% and groundnuts 9%. Compared with August 2025, maize prices were 50% higher, while salt and cooking oil increased by 68% and 43%, respectively.
Non-food items also recorded notable increases. Plastic sheets rose 35% from July, poles increased 36%, charcoal 28%, sanitary pads 25%, and jerrycans 19%.
Market functionality remained broadly stable, with limited functionality reported in 24% of assessed locations in August, compared with 24% in July. REACH said market constraints continued to affect the availability, affordability and accessibility of essential goods.
Transport and supply disruptions continued to affect markets. Seasonal road closures restricted the movement of goods and traders, while the Raja border crossing and the South Sudan-Sudan trade corridor via Raja remained closed in both July and August.
The report said closures and poor road conditions increased transportation costs, disrupted supply chains and contributed to continued price pressures in affected markets.
REACH said the findings are intended to support market-based humanitarian programming and cash-based interventions. The JMMI collects monthly market data from traders and uses median prices to reduce the effect of unusually high or low reported prices.
