The cost of living in Gaza is not just measured in money — it’s measured in survival.
For most families, every loaf of bread, every liter of fuel, and every medicine bottle represents a daily struggle. Under blockade and economic collapse, prices rise while incomes fall, leaving people to fight for the basics of life.

Life Under Economic Pressure

The blockade has cut Gaza off from trade and job opportunities for more than a decade. Unemployment is among the highest in the world — especially among young people and graduates. Even skilled workers like electricians, teachers, or engineers often earn less than $5 a day.

With limited imports and a weak economy, inflation hits hard.
When prices for essentials like flour, rice, or vegetables increase, families must make impossible choices — between food and medicine, light and water, rent and clothing.

Food and Fuel Shortages

Many families rely on humanitarian aid from organizations like UNRWA just to eat. Even with this support, shortages are constant. Electricity runs for only a few hours each day, forcing families to buy fuel for generators — if they can afford it.

Cooking gas and clean water are also expensive, and sometimes completely unavailable.
For parents, providing three meals a day is a victory; for children, it’s a dream that depends on luck.

The Hidden Cost: Mental and Emotional Toll

The economic crisis doesn’t only affect wallets — it affects hearts and minds.
Parents carry guilt for not being able to give their children a normal life. Young people lose hope for the future as opportunities vanish. The cost of living becomes the cost of dreaming.

Despite that, families in Gaza continue to smile, gather, and celebrate small joys — a reminder that humanity endures even in scarcity.

Small Businesses and Resilience

Amid hardship, small business owners show remarkable creativity.
Women bake bread or sweets at home to sell in local markets. Men repair old bicycles or repurpose broken electronics. Farmers and fishermen share tools and resources to survive the shortages.

Each small effort adds a spark of dignity and self-reliance to daily life — proof that resilience is Gaza’s greatest currency.

Final Thoughts

In Gaza, survival has become an economy of its own. Every purchase, every meal, and every candle lit at night tells a story of perseverance.
While statistics speak of poverty, the people of Gaza speak of hope.

The true “cost of living” in Gaza is not what people pay, but what they endure — and still, they keep going, refusing to let hardship define their spirit.

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