A pack of 20 cigarettes in South Korea costs on average β©4500 in KRW. About 20.6% of adults in South Korea currently smoke (2023 (adults/male/female); 2022 KYRBWS for youth vaping data, KDCA). A pack-a-day smoker spends roughly β©1642500 per year at the register β and that is before you add the time, the health, or the compounding.
How the β©4500 is built: tax and price structure
~73.85% (WHO Global Health Observatory, 2022 latest cycle)
| Specific duty | β©1,007 per pack |
| VAT / GST | 10% VAT |
Source: Korea Customs Service Tobacco Tax Notice 2024. https://www.customs.go.kr
What cigarettes cost in South Korea: brand price ranges
The β©4500 national average hides a wide spread β discount brands are noticeably cheaper than premium.
| Brand | Typical price per pack of 20 |
|---|---|
| Esse (KT&G) β Korea's #1 brand | β©4,500 per pack |
| Mevius (formerly Mild Seven, JTI) | β©4,500 per pack |
| Dunhill (BAT) | β©4,500 per pack |
| Marlboro (PMI) | β©4,500 per pack |
| Bohem Cigar No.6 (KT&G, value brand) | β©4,500 per pack |
Free help quitting in South Korea
South Korea has free, evidence-based programs. You do not need to quit alone.
KDCA Quitline 1544-9030 or regional public health center smoking cessation clinics
Free, confidential, staffed by trained counsellors.
Smoking cessation clinics in 256 public health centers provide free NRT (patches, gum, lozenges) and counseling; varenicline also subsidized.
What makes South Korea different
- 01South Korea is one of the world's largest heated tobacco (HNB) markets β IQOS, lil, and glo collectively captured over 30% of the tobacco market by 2024, the highest penetration globally.
- 02Cigarette pack prices have risen from β©2,500 in 2014 to β©4,500+ today as part of Korea's "Tobacco Endgame" strategy aimed at reducing adult smoking below 20%.
- 03Graphic pictorial warnings have appeared on Korean cigarette packs since 2016, one of the earlier adopters in Asia; warning coverage was expanded to 75% of pack surface in 2024.
- 04KT&G (Korea Tomorrow & Global) is one of the few state-born tobacco companies to become a global export powerhouse β its Esse brand sells in 80+ countries and accounts for roughly 60% of Korea's domestic cigarette market.
- 05E-cigarette use among Korean youth (ages 13-18) tripled between 2016 and 2019, prompting the 2020 ban on flavored e-liquid sales and a 2024 ban on synthetic nicotine vapes.
In South Korea, a pack of 20 cigarettes costs on average β©4500 KRW as of 2026. About 20.6% of South Korea adults smoke, down from historical highs. Tax accounts for ~73.85% (who global health observatory, 2022 latest cycle) of the pack price. Quitting saves the average smoker β©1642500 per year.