If you've looked at the price of a legal cigarette pack in Australia recently, you've probably noticed the same thing: cigarettes are expensive, and prices vary considerably between brands and pack sizes.

In 2026, the price of a standard 20-pack can range from the high-$30s to more than $60 at major retailers, with premium brands generally sitting at the higher end. Prices also vary between retailers and can change following tobacco excise increases.

So, how much do cigarettes cost in Australia right now?

Here's a closer look at current cigarette prices, tobacco excise, pack sizes and why Australian cigarettes have become some of the most expensive in the world.

How Much Does a Pack of Cigarettes Cost in Australia?

There isn't one fixed national retail price for cigarettes. The amount you pay depends on the brand, pack size, retailer and location.

Current retail price listings provide a useful indication of the range. For example, a current Australian cigarette price board lists 20-packs such as Parker & Simpson Classic at $38.50, Camel Connect at $37.99, JPS at $46.50, Winfield Original at $48.50 and Benson & Hedges at $64.99.

That means a reasonable 2026 guide for a legal 20-pack is roughly $38–$65, although individual products can fall outside that range.

These are indicative retail prices rather than a government-set price. Retailers set their own prices, so the same brand can cost more or less depending on where it is sold.

For example, Smokemart's current listings show 200-cigarette cartons at approximately $385–$650 depending on brand, while individual 20-packs span a similarly wide range.

Why can prices differ so much?

The difference isn't simply about the tobacco inside the cigarette.

Retail prices reflect several components, including:

• Tobacco excise
• GST
• wholesale and retail costs
• retailer margins
• brand positioning
• pack size
• periodic changes in tobacco taxation

This is why a value-oriented 20-pack can sit around the high-$30s while a premium product can exceed $60.

Why Are Cigarettes So Expensive in Australia?

The biggest reason is tobacco taxation.

Australia applies an excise duty to tobacco products, and the tobacco excise rate is indexed twice a year on 1 March and 1 September using average weekly ordinary-time earnings (AWOTE).

There have also been additional tobacco excise increases in recent years.

The Australian Government introduced an additional 5% annual increase for three years beginning 1 September 2023, on top of normal indexation.

That policy has contributed to a substantial increase in the tax component of legal cigarettes.

How Much Tax Is on a Cigarette?

As of 1 September 2026, the tobacco excise for a cigarette in stick form containing no more than 0.8 grams of tobacco is approximately $1.55 per stick.

That works out to approximately:

20 cigarettes × $1.55 = $31 in tobacco excise

So, before considering GST and the other costs built into the retail price, a 20-cigarette pack can already contain around $31 of tobacco excise.

The exact amount varies according to the product and applicable duty rules.

For context, a Parliamentary report found that in September 2025 the most popular variety of factory-made cigarettes cost $42.99, while the excise component was $30.57 — approximately 71.5% of the retail price.

This gives some perspective on why cigarette prices in Australia are so high.

Do Cigarette Prices Increase Every Year?

Not necessarily by the same amount at the retail level, but tobacco taxation is designed to increase periodically.

The tobacco excise is indexed in March and September according to the statutory formula.

Retail prices can then change when wholesalers and retailers adjust their prices to reflect the higher tax burden and other costs.

The important distinction is that the government does not simply announce one national retail price for a packet of cigarettes.

Instead:

Excise changes → wholesale costs change → retailers adjust prices → consumers see different retail prices.

The final price therefore depends on the particular brand and retailer.

How Much Have Cigarette Prices Increased?

The increase becomes more obvious when you look at the tax rather than just the shelf price.

Tobacco excise revenue reached approximately $16.3 billion in 2019–20, but government revenue from tobacco taxation has subsequently fallen substantially despite rising excise rates. The Parliamentary Library reports an estimated $4.1 billion in 2025–26, illustrating how sharply legal tobacco volumes have declined.

The fall in revenue has become an important part of Australia's tobacco policy debate.

The government has attributed declining tobacco receipts to factors including the persistent decline in legal tobacco consumption and weaker excisable tobacco volumes.

What About Australia's Illegal Tobacco Market?

Australia's legal cigarette market exists alongside a significant illicit tobacco market.

The latest Illicit Tobacco and E-cigarette Commissioner report estimated that illicit tobacco represented approximately 55% of Australia's total tobacco market in 2024–25, with a range of 50%–60%. The estimated value of that illicit market was approximately $5.6 billion.

The report also estimated that between $7.7 billion and $11.8 billion in excise and customs duty was evaded during 2024–25.

However, it's important not to oversimplify the reasons for this shift. The growth of illicit tobacco is influenced by multiple factors, including taxation, enforcement, supply chains, consumer behaviour and organised crime. The Commissioner has specifically cautioned against treating excise as the sole explanation.

Are Cigarettes Getting More Expensive While Fewer Australians Smoke?

Yes.

This is one of the more interesting trends in Australia's tobacco market.

According to the latest Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Drug Strategy Household Survey, only 5.6% of Australians aged 14 and over smoked daily in 2025, compared with 8.3% in 2022–23 and 19.5% in 2001.

That represents approximately 1.3 million daily smokers in 2025, compared with around 3 million in 2001.

So Australia is experiencing two trends at the same time:

Fewer people are smoking + the legal cigarettes that remain are expensive.

That's an important distinction when discussing cigarette prices. A higher retail price does not necessarily mean government tobacco revenue will continue rising because the number of legal cigarettes sold also matters.

Why Do Cigarette Prices Vary Between Brands?

Even though tobacco excise is federally determined, retail prices aren't identical across brands.

A premium cigarette brand may have a substantially higher retail price than a value-oriented brand because of differences in:

• Brand positioning
• Wholesale pricing
• Retailer margins
• Manufacturing and distribution costs
• Pack format
• Tobacco weight
• Tax treatment

Current Australian retail listings demonstrate this spread clearly. Smokemart, for example, currently lists 20-packs from around $38 through to more than $60 depending on the brand.

So if someone asks, "How much do cigarettes cost in Australia?", the most accurate answer isn't a single number.

A better answer is:

In 2026, legal 20-packs commonly range from roughly $38 to $65 or more, depending on the brand and retailer.

What Does a Carton of Cigarettes Cost?

A carton generally contains 200 cigarettes, normally arranged as ten 20-cigarette packs.

Current retail listings show substantial variation. For example, Smokemart's price board lists cartons around $385 for some brands, while premium products can reach approximately $650.

This means it isn't accurate to say that every Australian carton costs $280–$500.

A more useful 2026 guide is:

Approximately $380–$650+ for 200 cigarettes, depending on the brand and retailer.

Prices should be treated as indicative because tobacco prices can change following tax adjustments and retailer pricing changes.

Why Australian Cigarettes Are So Expensive

Australia's cigarette prices are the result of a broader tobacco-control system rather than simply the underlying cost of tobacco.

The government uses tobacco taxation as one component of its strategy to reduce smoking. Over the long term, smoking rates have fallen dramatically.

Daily smoking among Australians aged 14 and over fell from 24.3% in 1991 to 5.6% in 2025.

At the same time, tobacco excise has become a major part of the retail price of legal cigarettes.

This combination helps explain why the answer to "how much do cigarettes cost in Australia?" is considerably different today from what it was a decade or two ago.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do cigarettes cost in Australia in 2026?

A legal 20-pack commonly costs around $38–$65 or more, depending on the brand and retailer. Premium products can be higher.

How much is a packet of 20 cigarettes in Australia?

Current retail listings show 20-packs ranging from roughly the high-$30s to more than $60. Prices vary by brand and retailer.

How much does a carton of cigarettes cost in Australia?

A 200-cigarette carton can cost roughly $380–$650+, depending on the brand and retailer.

How much tax is on cigarettes in Australia?

From 1 September 2026, the excise on a tobacco stick containing no more than 0.8 grams is approximately $1.55 per cigarette.

Why are cigarettes so expensive in Australia?

The main reason is Australia's high tobacco excise. The excise is indexed twice a year, and additional increases have also been introduced in recent years.

Are cigarette prices the same across Australia?

No. Federal tobacco excise applies nationally, but retailers can set different prices, so the same product may cost different amounts depending on the retailer and location.