Windhoek: Commuters and motorists in the Khomas Region are bearing the brunt of Namibia's rising cost of living, as transport costs surged 9.3% over the past year, the steepest increase of any category in the July 2026 Namibia Consumer Price Index (NCPI) Bulletin. Petrol and diesel prices rose 15.5% in the year to July, while taxi fares climbed 15.4% and bus fares increased by 12.3%, according to the bulletin released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) on Thursday. A year ago, transport costs were falling.According to Namibia Press Agency, the knock-on effect was felt hardest in Khomas, where the annual inflation rate reached 5.3% in July, up from 3.1% a year earlier and the highest of Namibia's three pricing zones. The ||Kharas, Erongo, Hardap, and Omaheke regions recorded 4.3%, while the nine northern and north-eastern regions grouped as Zone 1 recorded the lowest rate, at 3.6%.Namibia's overall annual inflation rate stood at 4.4% in July, up from 3.5% a year earlier, the NSA said. NSA Statistician- General Alex Shimuafeni noted in the bulletin that 'high or unpredictable inflation erodes the purchasing power of money,' particularly affecting people on fixed incomes.Electricity, gas, and other fuel costs also climbed sharply, rising to 6.9% from 1.4% a year ago, pushing housing-related costs up 4.8% overall. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels make up 28.4% of the average Namibian household's basket, the largest single share.The report also highlighted that food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation eased to 3.7% from 6.1% a year earlier, with vegetable prices climbing more slowly than in 2025 and coffee prices up just 1.7%, down from 15.0%. Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and fuel items, stood at 3.7%, slightly below the headline figure, indicating that underlying price pressure remains largely fuel-driven rather than broad-based.