How Much You Save Quitting Smoking in Australia

If you smoke in Australia, you already know it's expensive. But most people have never actually added it up — and when they do, the number tends to stop them in their tracks. So let's do exactly that.

The short answer: with the average pack of cigarettes now sitting around $50, a pack-a-day smoker in Australia is spending roughly $350 a week, about $18,000 a year, and well over $180,000 across a decade. Quitting doesn't just improve your health — it's one of the single biggest pay rises you can give yourself without earning a cent more. Here's the full breakdown, and what those savings really look like.

 

What does smoking actually cost in Australia right now?

Australia has the most expensive cigarettes in the world, driven by deliberately high tobacco excise that rises twice a year. As of 2026, the average price of a pack of 20 cigarettes hovers around the $50 mark, with 25-packs and premium brands often higher.

That per-pack price is the foundation of everything below. Here's what it adds up to depending on how much you smoke:

(Based on an average pack of 20 at roughly $50. Your actual figure depends on your brand and how much you smoke — but for most people, the real number is higher than they'd guess.)

To put the pack-a-day figure in perspective: independent estimates have put a daily smoker's annual spend at around $14,600 in 2025, and with further excise rises since, that figure keeps climbing. However you cut it, this is one of the largest discretionary expenses most smokers have — it's just spread across small daily purchases, so it never shows up as one alarming line.

 

What those savings actually look like

Numbers on a page are easy to skim past, so let's make them real. If you're a pack-a-day smoker, quitting frees up around $18,000 a year. That's roughly:

• A genuine overseas holiday, flights and accommodation included — every single year.

• A significant chunk off a mortgage, or a serious head start on a home deposit.

• More than most people manage to put into savings annually.

• Around $1,500 a month back in your pocket — month after month.

And because the cost compounds, the longer-term picture is even starker. Over a decade, a pack-a-day habit costs more than many people's first home deposit. The money you don't spend on cigarettes is money that can work for you instead.

 

The savings start immediately — and so do the health benefits

One of the most motivating things about quitting is that the financial benefit is instant. The day you stop buying cigarettes is the day you start keeping that money. There's no waiting period, no qualifying, no catch.

And the savings don't stop at the pack price. Smoking carries hidden costs too — higher health and life insurance premiums, more frequent illness and associated costs, dental work, and the gradual replacement of items that smoke damages. Meanwhile your health begins recovering within days: circulation and lung function improve over the following weeks and months, and long-term risks fall the longer you stay quit. You're saving money and gaining health at the same time.

 

"But quitting aids cost money too" — do the maths

A fair point people raise: nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), patches, or other treatment isn't free, so doesn't that eat into the savings? It's worth answering honestly.

The cost of quitting aids is tiny compared to what you're already spending on cigarettes. If a pack-a-day habit costs around $350 a week, even a few weeks of NRT is recouped almost immediately — usually within days of quitting. Spending a small, one-off amount on the tools that actually help you succeed is one of the highest-return decisions you can make, because it dramatically increases your chance of keeping the entire $18,000 a year rather than relapsing and losing it.

In other words: the question isn't whether you can afford support to quit. It's whether you can afford not to. And if you've tried before and it hasn't stuck, our guide on why solo attempts fail and what actually works explains why the right support makes the difference.

 

Frequently asked questions

1. How much money would I save if I quit smoking in Australia?

With the average pack of 20 cigarettes around $50 in 2026, a pack-a-day smoker saves roughly $350 a week, about $18,000 a year, and over $180,000 across a decade. A half-pack-a-day smoker saves around $9,000 a year. Your exact savings depend on your brand and how much you smoke, but for most Australian smokers the annual figure is in the thousands to tens of thousands of dollars — and it starts the day you stop buying cigarettes.

 

2. How much does a pack-a-day smoking habit cost per year in Australia?

In 2026, with packs averaging around $50, a pack-a-day habit costs roughly $18,000 a year. Independent estimates put a daily smoker's spend at around $14,600 in 2025, and ongoing excise increases continue to push that higher. It's one of the largest recurring expenses most smokers have, but because it's paid in small daily amounts, it rarely registers as a single large cost.

 

3. Why are cigarettes so expensive in Australia?

Australia has the highest cigarette prices in the world, primarily because of high tobacco excise tax that increases twice a year in March and September. This is a deliberate public health policy designed to discourage smoking. Tax makes up the large majority of the price of a legal pack, which is why Australian cigarettes cost several times more than in most other countries.

 

4. Do I really save money if I have to buy NRT or quitting aids?

Yes — by a large margin. Quitting aids like nicotine replacement therapy cost a small, one-off amount compared to the roughly $350 a week a pack-a-day smoker spends on cigarettes. The cost is typically recouped within days of quitting. Investing in proper support also increases your chance of staying quit, which means you're far more likely to keep the full annual saving rather than relapse and lose it.

 

5. How quickly do I start saving money after quitting?

Immediately. The financial benefit begins the moment you stop buying cigarettes — there's no delay. From day one you keep what you would have spent, and over weeks and months it compounds into thousands of dollars, alongside health improvements that begin within days of your last cigarette.

 

Turn that number into a reason to quit

Adding it up is often the moment something clicks. Whether it's $9,000 or $18,000 a year for you, that's money you've been handing over in small daily amounts — and it could be going toward something that genuinely matters to you instead.

The hardest part isn't wanting to quit; it's making it stick. Quit Hero is an Australian medical service that helps you quit with proper support — TGA-authorised doctors, pharmacist guidance, and evidence-based options — so you can keep that money and your health. If you're ready to work out your own number and take the next step, explore your options with Quit Hero or call and speak to a real pharmacist on 1300 059 031.

 

---

 

This article provides general information and cost estimates based on average 2026 cigarette prices in Australia. Your actual savings will depend on your brand, consumption, and where you buy. This is not medical advice — for support quitting, speak to your doctor or pharmacist. Free support is also available through Quitline on 13 7848.