How to use it
- Enter how much you smoke per day, in packs or cigarettes.
- Enter the price you pay per pack, including tax.
- Read your daily, monthly and yearly cost.
- Set an assumed return and time period to see what quitting could add up to.
How the cost is calculated
Daily cost = packs per day × price per pack
If you enter cigarettes, the calculator divides by the number of cigarettes per pack (20 by default). Monthly cost uses the average month length (365.25 ÷ 12 ≈ 30.4 days), and yearly cost uses 365.25 days.
Example: one pack a day at $9.00.
- Per day: $9.00
- Per week: $63.00
- Per month: about $273.94
- Per year: about $3,287
- Over 10 years: about $32,872
Half a pack a day (10 cigarettes) is half of these figures. Cigarette prices vary a lot between states because of state and local taxes, so enter what you actually pay.
Cost at different habits and prices
| Habit | $7 per pack | $9 per pack | $12 per pack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half a pack a day | $1,278 a year | $1,644 a year | $2,191 a year |
| One pack a day | $2,557 a year | $3,287 a year | $4,383 a year |
| Two packs a day | $5,113 a year | $6,574 a year | $8,766 a year |
Yearly cost = packs per day × price × 365.25. Over 20 years, a one-pack-a-day habit at $9 adds up to more than $65,000 before any investment growth.
What quitting could be worth
The second part of the calculator assumes you put the monthly amount aside at the end of every month and it earns a steady annual return, compounded monthly:
Future value = monthly amount × ((1 + r)ⁿ − 1) ÷ r, where r is the monthly rate and n the number of months.
With $273.94 a month for 10 years at an assumed 5% a year, you would set aside about $32,872 and end up with roughly $42,500. The return is an assumption for illustration, not a prediction or financial advice; real returns vary and can be negative. Use 0% to see the plain savings.
Put it in real terms
Under What would you save up for instead?, type a goal, like a vacation or a used car, and its cost. The calculator tells you how many months of cigarette money it would take. A $2,000 trip, for example, is about 7–8 months of a one-pack-a-day habit at $9 a pack.
Money isn't the only cost. Smoking also raises life insurance and health insurance costs in many cases, and adds expenses like cleaning, dental care and lower resale value for cars and homes. Those are hard to estimate, so the calculator leaves them out; the real total is higher.
Free help to quit
Quitting is hard, and help improves your chances. In the US you can:
- Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), a free quitline that connects you to your state's program.
- Visit smokefree.gov for quit plans, text-message programs and apps.
- Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about nicotine replacement therapy and prescription medications. Many health insurance plans cover these.
This calculator is informational and is not medical advice.
Also counting vaping or cigars?
The same math works for any regular purchase. For vaping, enter the cost of pods or liquid per day as the "price per pack" and 1 pack per day. For cigars, use the number per day and the price per box with the per-pack count set to the box size.
Want to see how savings grow with regular deposits over longer periods? Try the investment calculator or the compound interest calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a pack a day cost per year?
Multiply your price per pack by 365. At $9 a pack, that is about $3,287 a year; at $12 a pack, about $4,383.
How much will I save if I quit smoking?
Everything you would have spent on cigarettes. The calculator shows yearly and 10-year totals, plus what that money could grow to if you saved it.
Can I enter cigarettes instead of packs?
Yes. Switch the unit to cigarettes and set how many are in a pack (20 by default).
Is the investment return guaranteed?
No. It is an assumption for illustration. Set it to 0% to see the money saved without any growth.
Where can I get help quitting?
Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit smokefree.gov for free support.
Sources
Last updated: November 12, 2026