How many cigars are in a box?

How many cigars are in a box?

The standard box of cigars holds 20 cigars. The count dates back to the early 1900s, when cigar makers settled on a box that held a round number of cigars per layer — typically two rows of ten — and the convention has stuck across the industry. Of the 40 premium brands we track on the cigar prices page, every single one ships its flagship lines in a 20-count dress box.

That said, "standard" is a starting point, not a rule. Ten-count boxes exist as samplers and travel boxes — a low-commitment way to try a line you have not smoked before. Fifteen-count boxes show up on special releases and short-filler lines. Twenty-five-count boxes are the classic Cuban Habanos format and are common with European distribution, where a dress box of 25 is the norm. Forty- and fifty-count cabinets are plain wooden boxes used mostly for budget and mid-tier lines, and they carry the lowest per-stick price of any format.

Box sizes and what they cost

Prices are approximate 2026 US retail estimates. State tobacco taxes can move these numbers by $1–$3 per stick.

Real box counts from tracked brands

Every brand below ships a 20-count box for the lines shown, with prices pulled directly from our database. Box price divided by 20 is the per-cigar cost — the number to compare against singles at a lounge.

Does the count change what you pay per cigar?

Yes, a little. A 50-count cabinet of a budget line can bring the per-stick price under $4, while the same line in a 10-count sampler box runs closer to single-stick pricing because you are paying for variety. But the count matters far less than the blend: a 20-count Montecristo box is still more expensive per cigar than a 50-count bundle of a value brand. If you are shopping for the lowest price per cigar, compare the box-per-stick number across formats on the box of cigars page before you commit.