A pack of 20 cigarettes in France costs on average €12.50 in EUR. About 27% of adults in France currently smoke (2023 (WHO any-tobacco age-standardized; SPF Baromètre 2023 daily smokers ~24-25% — figures differ by methodology) data, Santé publique France). A pack-a-day smoker spends roughly €4563 per year at the register — and that is before you add the time, the health, or the compounding.
How the €12.50 is built: tax and price structure
~80% of pack price
| Specific duty | €66.69 per 1,000 cigarettes (2026), escalating +12.5%/year toward €13 pack target by 2027 |
| VAT / GST | 20% |
Source: French Customs (DGDDI) tobacco excise schedule / Our World in Data taxes-as-a-share-of-cigarette-price.
What cigarettes cost in France: brand price ranges
The €12.50 national average hides a wide spread — discount brands are noticeably cheaper than premium.
| Brand | Typical price per pack of 20 |
|---|---|
| Marlboro | €11-13 per pack |
| Camel | €11-13 per pack |
| Lucky Strike | €11-13 per pack |
| News (Imperial) | €11-13 per pack |
| Discount (Basic, L&M, Fest) | €8-10 per pack |
Free help quitting in France
France has free, evidence-based programs. You do not need to quit alone.
Tabac Info Service 39 89 (€0.15/min from landline)
Free, confidential, staffed by trained counsellors.
NRT patches/gum/lozenges are partially reimbursed by Sécurité Sociale with prescription (since 2019, expanded 2023); varenicline/bupropion also with prescription; midwives and nurses can prescribe NRT since 2024.
What makes France different
- 01France was the second country in the world to mandate plain (neutrally-branded) cigarette packaging in January 2017, ahead of the UK.
- 02A programmed tax escalator of +12.5% per year is pushing the average pack price from ~€10 in 2023 to a target of €13 by 2027.
- 03France has roughly 75,000 tobacco-attributable deaths per year — the leading preventable cause of death.
- 04Daily adult smoking prevalence (~27%) is among the highest in Western Europe, down from ~30% in 2019 thanks to price hikes and Mois sans Tabac campaigns.
- 05France banned disposable e-cigarettes ("puffs") with the 2025-2026 budget/Decree and is tightening rules on heated tobacco flavours and vape marketing in 2026.
In France, a pack of 20 cigarettes costs on average €12.50 EUR as of 2026. About 27% of France adults smoke, down from historical highs. Tax accounts for ~80% of pack price of the pack price. Quitting saves the average smoker €4563 per year.