If you are comparing cigarette prices in Europe, the gap between countries is bigger than most travelers expect. In the latest World Health Organization price survey, a pack of 20 of the most-sold brand cost EUR 17.05 in Ireland and GBP 13.40 in the United Kingdom, but only about US$3 in Bulgaria. This guide ranks 53 European countries and territories on one consistent source, shows the share of each price that is tax and works out what a pack a day costs over a year.
The short answer: Ireland and the UK are the most expensive, Bulgaria the cheapest in the EU
The World Health Organization collects the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes of the most-sold brand in each country for its report on the global tobacco epidemic. The latest survey round in the WHO Global Health Observatory carries reference year 2024 and includes 53 countries and territories in the WHO European Region. Using those figures:
- Most expensive: Ireland (EUR 17.05, about US$18.46), the United Kingdom (GBP 13.40, about US$17.21), Turkmenistan (TMT 55, about US$15.71), Norway (NOK 167, about US$15.31), then France, the Netherlands and Monaco (EUR 12.50 each).
- Cheapest in the EU: Bulgaria (BGN 5.50, about US$3.04), Croatia (EUR 3.32, about US$3.59) and Poland (PLN 19.50, about US$4.91).
- Cheapest overall: Belarus (BYN 3.55, about US$1.13), Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, all outside the EU.
Among countries that report in euro, the range runs from EUR 17.05 in Ireland to EUR 3.10 in Montenegro, a factor of 5.5. Within the EU-27 the US$ range runs from US$3.04 (Bulgaria) to US$18.46 (Ireland), a factor of 6.1. Source: the WHO indicator page for the retail price of tobacco and nicotine products.
Cigarette prices in Europe: pack cost in 53 countries
The table is sorted by the US$ price. The local-currency price is the number WHO collected; the US$ figure is WHO’s conversion at the official exchange rate (see the method section for a caveat). The tax column is the total tax share of the price of the most-sold brand, and the last column is our arithmetic: local price times 365 packs.
| Country | Price per pack (local) | Approx. US$ (WHO) | Total tax share of price | A pack a day for a year (local) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | EUR 17.05 | $18.46 | 77.8% | EUR 6,223.25 |
| United Kingdom | GBP 13.40 | $17.21 | 80.4% | GBP 4,891.00 |
| Turkmenistan | TMT 55.00 | $15.71 | 31.3% | TMT 20,075 |
| Norway | NOK 167.00 | $15.31 | 57.7% | NOK 60,955 |
| France | EUR 12.50 | $13.54 | 83.1% | EUR 4,562.50 |
| Monaco | EUR 12.50 | $13.54 | 16.7% | EUR 4,562.50 |
| Netherlands | EUR 12.50 | $13.54 | 80.3% | EUR 4,562.50 |
| Iceland | ISK 1,759.00 | $12.71 | 53.7% | ISK 642,035 |
| Belgium | EUR 11.50 | $12.45 | 82.3% | EUR 4,197.50 |
| Finland | EUR 10.10 | $10.94 | 90.0% | EUR 3,686.50 |
| Switzerland | CHF 9.20 | $10.44 | 58.8% | CHF 3,358.00 |
| Israel | ILS 39.00 | $10.35 | 80.9% | ILS 14,235.00 |
| Germany | EUR 8.70 | $9.42 | 61.4% | EUR 3,175.50 |
| Denmark | DKK 62.00 | $9.00 | 83.4% | DKK 22,630 |
| Sweden | SEK 78.00 | $7.27 | 68.2% | SEK 28,470 |
| Austria | EUR 6.50 | $7.04 | 73.3% | EUR 2,372.50 |
| Luxembourg | EUR 6.50 | $7.04 | 69.0% | EUR 2,372.50 |
| Italy | EUR 6.20 | $6.71 | 77.0% | EUR 2,263.00 |
| Czechia | CZK 148.00 | $6.30 | 76.7% | CZK 54,020 |
| Hungary | HUF 2,300.00 | $6.29 | 70.9% | HUF 839,500 |
| San Marino | EUR 5.80 | $6.28 | 74.2% | EUR 2,117.00 |
| Malta | EUR 5.70 | $6.17 | 76.2% | EUR 2,080.50 |
| Spain | EUR 5.60 | $6.06 | 77.2% | EUR 2,044.00 |
| Romania | RON 27.50 | $5.98 | 66.5% | RON 10,037.50 |
| Slovakia | EUR 5.30 | $5.74 | 76.1% | EUR 1,934.50 |
| Estonia | EUR 5.10 | $5.52 | 87.4% | EUR 1,861.50 |
| Portugal | EUR 5.10 | $5.52 | 79.3% | EUR 1,861.50 |
| Lithuania | EUR 5.00 | $5.41 | 76.5% | EUR 1,825.00 |
| Slovenia | EUR 5.00 | $5.41 | 77.5% | EUR 1,825.00 |
| Latvia | EUR 4.90 | $5.31 | 81.2% | EUR 1,788.50 |
| Cyprus | EUR 4.70 | $5.09 | 73.4% | EUR 1,715.50 |
| Greece | EUR 4.60 | $4.98 | 81.2% | EUR 1,679.00 |
| Poland | PLN 19.50 | $4.91 | 79.1% | PLN 7,117.50 |
| Andorra | EUR 4.40 | $4.76 | 73.2% | EUR 1,606.00 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | BAM 6.50 | $3.60 | 81.9% | BAM 2,372.50 |
| Croatia | EUR 3.32 | $3.59 | 86.0% | EUR 1,211.80 |
| Montenegro | EUR 3.10 | $3.36 | 75.4% | EUR 1,131.50 |
| Serbia | RSD 360.00 | $3.33 | 77.3% | RSD 131,400 |
| Albania | ALL 290.00 | $3.13 | 66.7% | ALL 105,850 |
| Bulgaria | BGN 5.50 | $3.04 | 84.5% | BGN 2,007.50 |
| Moldova | MDL 50.00 | $2.82 | 69.1% | MDL 18,250 |
| Georgia | GEL 7.60 | $2.79 | 69.5% | GEL 2,774.00 |
| Russia | RUB 233.00 | $2.72 | 56.8% | RUB 85,045 |
| Ukraine | UAH 109.95 | $2.68 | 67.2% | UAH 40,132 |
| Armenia | AMD 1,000.00 | $2.58 | 48.9% | AMD 365,000 |
| North Macedonia | MKD 130.00 | $2.29 | 77.8% | MKD 47,450 |
| Turkey (Türkiye) | TRY 73.00 | $2.21 | 81.5% | TRY 26,645 |
| Kazakhstan | KZT 885.00 | $1.87 | 46.7% | KZT 323,025 |
| Kyrgyzstan | KGS 144.00 | $1.71 | 48.9% | KGS 52,560 |
| Azerbaijan | AZN 2.60 | $1.53 | 49.9% | AZN 949.00 |
| Uzbekistan | UZS 16,000.00 | $1.28 | 50.2% | UZS 5,840,000 |
| Tajikistan | TJS 13.00 | $1.22 | 54.7% | TJS 4,745 |
| Belarus | BYN 3.55 | $1.13 | 76.9% | BYN 1,295.75 |
The table does not rank cities or shelf prices outside the capital. WHO surveyed supermarkets and kiosks in each capital city, so a rural shop, a duty-free store or a different brand can be higher or lower.
How WHO measured these prices, and what the table does not show
Three points about the source matter before you quote any number:
- Brand and pack. WHO’s definition covers the most-sold brand of cigarettes in a pack of 20 sticks. Premium and cheapest brands are separate WHO series, and this page does not use them.
- Place. According to the WHO metadata, primary price collection surveyed supermarkets or hypermarkets and kiosks, newsagents or tobacconists in the capital city of each country.
- Currency. Prices were collected in local currency. WHO also publishes a US$ conversion at the official exchange rate. The WHO metadata gives July 2022 as the exchange-rate reference, so the US$ column is indicative and the local-currency column is the safer number.
The figures come from the WHO Global Health Observatory without adjustment; they are survey prices, not a check of every shop. If a price looks off for your country, trust your own receipt. The European Commission’s weighted average price tables are a separate series and are not used on this page.
Why EU prices cannot fall below a floor: the EU excise rules
The European Commission explains that the EU sets harmonized minimum rates of excise duty on manufactured tobacco, and that EU countries are free to apply rates above the minimum. For cigarettes, the overall excise rate must be at least EUR 90 per 1,000 cigarettes and at least 60% of the weighted average retail selling price. Countries that apply an excise duty of EUR 115 or more per 1,000 do not need to meet the 60% criterion. The Commission’s own worked example shows a retail price of EUR 3 including all taxes, of which excise is EUR 1.80 (60% of the retail selling price) (see the Commission page on excise duties on tobacco).
Our arithmetic: EUR 90 per 1,000 is EUR 1.80 for a pack of 20, which on the Commission’s worked example corresponds to a retail price of about EUR 3 for the weighted average pack. The table is consistent with that: the cheapest EU prices are Bulgaria at about US$3.04 and Croatia at EUR 3.32. Individual cheap brands can sit below the average, so the floor is a guide, not a hard price limit. For how tax share compares globally, see cigarette tax by country; for the US picture by state, see cigarette tax by state.
How much of the price is tax: from 90% to under 50%
WHO also reports the total tax share (excise, value-added tax and any other taxes) for the most-sold brand. In this dataset the highest shares are in Finland (90.0%), Estonia (87.4%), Croatia (86.0%), Bulgaria (84.5%), Denmark (83.4%) and France (83.1%). The lowest shares among the countries in the table are Armenia (48.9%) and Kazakhstan (46.7%), with Turkmenistan lower at 31.3%. Monaco’s 16.7% equals the value-added share only in the WHO record, so treat it as incomplete.
A high tax share does not by itself mean a high price: Bulgaria, Croatia and Estonia combine tax shares above 84% with some of the lowest EU prices, because the pre-tax price is low. Tax share tells you who gets the money, not what you pay.
The UK and Ireland against the rest of Europe
For readers in the UK and Ireland, home prices are at the top of the table. Ireland’s most-sold brand is EUR 17.05 per pack, or EUR 6,223.25 a year at a pack a day, and the UK’s is GBP 13.40, or GBP 4,891.00. Both have total tax shares near 78% to 80% of the price in the WHO data (Ireland 77.8%, UK 80.4%). Our dedicated pages go deeper: UK cigarette prices and duty and Ireland smoking statistics.
The price gap is also a spending gap: at EUR 5.30 a pack (Slovakia) a pack-a-day year costs EUR 1,934.50, against EUR 6,223.25 in Ireland. For a wider comparison of how many people smoke in each country, see smoking rates by country.
Smoking across the EU: a short Eurostat video
Prices are one side of the picture; this short Eurostat video looks at the share of smokers in EU countries over time.
Travel allowances: what the EU guidance says (brief)
Price gaps lead many travelers to ask what they may carry. This is a factual summary, not advice to buy cigarettes abroad. The EU’s Your Europe portal says that for goods bought in another EU country for personal use, each EU country can set its own guideline values, which may not be lower than 800 cigarettes. When entering the EU from a non-EU country, a higher limit of 200 cigarettes or a lower limit of 40 cigarettes applies depending on the EU country, and the portal tells travelers to check the customs authority of the country they are visiting (see Your Europe guidance on alcohol, tobacco and cash). Rules for the UK, Norway, Switzerland and other non-EU countries are set by those countries.
What a pack a day costs over a year in Europe
Using each country’s WHO price, a pack a day (365 packs) adds up as follows for a selection of countries:
| Country | Price per pack | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | EUR 17.05 | EUR 6,223.25 |
| United Kingdom | GBP 13.40 | GBP 4,891.00 |
| France | EUR 12.50 | EUR 4,562.50 |
| Germany | EUR 8.70 | EUR 3,175.50 |
| Italy | EUR 6.20 | EUR 2,263.00 |
| Spain | EUR 5.60 | EUR 2,044.00 |
| Poland | PLN 19.50 | PLN 7,117.50 |
For a broader cross-country view, see the true cost of smoking per year. Money is rarely the only reason to stop, but it is the one you can count month by month.
Tracking what you stop spending, in any currency
If you move between countries or currencies, the money dashboard in iQuit supports multiple currencies and savings goals, so you can see what you have not spent. It is free on Google Play and the App Store. It is a tracker, not a substitute for medical advice or for local quitlines and health services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which European country has the most expensive cigarettes?
In WHO data for 2024, Ireland has the highest price in Europe: EUR 17.05 for a pack of 20 of the most-sold brand, about US$18.46. The UK follows at GBP 13.40, about US$17.21 (WHO Global Health Observatory, retail price indicator).
Which EU country has the cheapest cigarettes?
Bulgaria has the lowest price among EU members in the WHO dataset at BGN 5.50 per pack, about US$3.04. Croatia follows at EUR 3.32 (about US$3.59) and Poland at PLN 19.50 (about US$4.91) (WHO Global Health Observatory).
How much is a pack of cigarettes in Germany, France and Italy?
WHO lists EUR 8.70 in Germany, EUR 12.50 in France and EUR 6.20 in Italy for the most-sold brand of 20 cigarettes. These are capital-city survey prices for the 2024 reference year, not nationwide shelf prices (WHO Global Health Observatory).
What is the minimum tax on cigarettes in the EU?
The overall excise duty must be at least EUR 90 per 1,000 cigarettes and at least 60% of the weighted average retail price, unless a country applies EUR 115 or more per 1,000. EUR 90 per 1,000 is EUR 1.80 per pack of 20 (European Commission).
How much of the cigarette price is tax in Europe?
Within the EU it ranges from about 61% in Germany to 90% in Finland in the WHO data, and across the wider region it falls to about 31% in Turkmenistan. Ireland is 77.8%, the UK 80.4% and France 83.1% (WHO Global Health Observatory, total tax share of the most-sold brand).
How many cigarettes can I bring back from another EU country?
The EU portal says EU countries may set guideline values for personal use but not lower than 800 cigarettes. Entering from outside the EU, the limit is 200 or 40 cigarettes depending on the country. Check the customs authority (Your Europe).
Are these prices what I will pay in a shop?
Not exactly. WHO surveyed supermarkets and kiosks in each capital city for the most-sold brand, and the US$ conversion is indicative. Your brand, region and shop can differ, so check your own receipt (WHO metadata).
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The money dashboard in iQuit shows what you have not spent on cigarettes, with savings goals and multi-currency support, alongside craving tools, an AI coach and a health-recovery timeline. It is a tracker and support tool, not medical advice. Free on Google Play and the App Store.
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