Cigarette Prices in California
A pack of cigarettes in California costs $9.61 on average — +15% above the US average of $8.39. State excise tax accounts for 30% of the retail price ($2.87 per pack), on top of the $1.01 federal tax. Los Angeles adds another $0.10 per pack in local tax, pushing real-world prices higher than the state average in the largest city. A pack-a-day smoker in California spends $3,508 per year — $445 more than the national average.
#11 most expensive of 51 jurisdictions · #3 in the West · 9.2% of adults smoke
at 20 cigarettes a day · $9.61 per pack · California
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What a pack a day costs in California.
The raw numbers, before compounding — just the arithmetic of a habit at California prices.
$9.61 per pack × 365 days
Before compounding, at constant prices
Los Angeles adds an additional $0.10 per pack on top of the $2.87 state tax, so a pack in Los Angeles typically costs more than the California average.
California vs. the rest of the country.
See where California sits in the national ranking and how its neighbors stack up.
5 cheapest states
- 1. Missouri$5.21
- 2. Georgia$5.67
- 3. Alabama$5.85
- 4. Virginia$5.85
- 5. Mississippi$5.95
5 most expensive states
- 1. New York$12.85
- 2. District of Columbia$11.50
- 3. Rhode Island$11.20
- 4. Connecticut$11.00
- 5. Massachusetts$10.55
California cigarette prices — frequently asked
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