Smoking
Cigar cost per stick calculator
Cost per cigar is the price plus sales tax plus shipping, divided by the number of cigars. Enter up to three ways to buy the same cigar and see which works out lower.
Box. Saves $1.54 a cigar (13%) against single.
| Option | Total paid | Per cigar | Per hour | Saving per cigar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box | $204.60 | $10.23 | $12.28 | $1.54 (13%) |
| 5-pack | $56.36 | $11.27 | $13.53 | $0.50 (4%) |
| Single | $11.77 | $11.77 | $14.12 | Highest |
The math behind cost per stick
Per cigar = (price x (1 + tax rate) + shipping) / number of cigars. Tax goes on the price, shipping goes on top, and the total splits evenly across every stick.
With the example numbers, a $180 box of 20 at 7% tax and $12 shipping comes to $204.60. That's $10.23 a cigar. The single at $11 plus tax is $11.77.
Shipping hits small orders hardest. $5 on a five-pack adds $1 to every cigar. $12 on a box of 20 adds 60 cents.
Per hour is the fairer comparison
Cost per hour is cost per cigar divided by how long it lasts. It lets you compare a quick corona with a two-hour double corona on equal terms.
A $10 cigar that lasts 50 minutes costs $12 an hour. A $14 cigar that lasts 90 minutes costs $9.33. The pricier stick is the cheaper evening. Smoke times here are our estimates, so treat per hour as a rough guide.
Your yearly cigar spend at a glance
Yearly spend is cost per cigar x cigars per week x 52. Monthly is that divided by 12. At three a week, the example gap between the lowest and highest option is $240.24 a year.
That number isn't a recommendation. It's just the arithmetic, out in the open.
Which federal tax is already in the price?
The federal excise tax on large cigars is 52.75% of the sale price, capped at 40.26 cents per cigar, according to TTB. Small cigars are taxed at $50.33 per 1,000.
TTB says the importer or manufacturer pays it, on its own sale price to a buyer such as a wholesaler. So it's paid before a cigar reaches a shelf, not added at the register. The sales tax box above is for the state and local tax on your own receipt. State tobacco taxes vary and aren't modelled here.
Questions about what a cigar really costs
Is it cheaper to buy cigars by the box?
Per cigar, a box usually comes out lower, because the price is spread over 20 or more sticks and shipping is paid once. In the example on this page the box saves about 13% per cigar against buying singles.
How do you work out the cost per cigar?
Add sales tax to the price, add shipping, then divide by the number of cigars. A $180 box of 20 with 7% tax and $12 shipping is $204.60, or $10.23 a cigar.
How much does a cigar habit cost per year?
Multiply your cost per cigar by how many you smoke a week, then by 52. Three cigars a week at $10 each is $1,560 a year.
What is the federal tax on a cigar?
TTB lists large cigars at 52.75% of the sale price, capped at 40.26 cents per cigar, and small cigars at $50.33 per 1,000. The manufacturer or importer pays it, so it is not a separate line on a store receipt.
Where the federal tax figures come from
- Tax rates: tobacco products, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
- Industry Circular 11-03: large cigar tax and sale price, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
Tools to run alongside the budget
Type the inside dimensions. Get a real count for robustos, toros or a mix.
Smoke Time EstimatorLength, ring and pace in. A realistic window out, so you pick a cigar that fits the evening.
Tasting JournalLog a cigar by thirds, rate it, print it. Saved in your browser, nowhere else.