- From 1 July 2025, all factory-made cigarette packs in Australia must contain exactly 20 cigarettes.
- Before standardisation, packs ranged from 20 to 50 sticks. Larger packs offered a lower per-stick cost: the bulk discount effect.
- Today, the per-stick cost difference comes from brand segment, not pack size: $1.98/stick (supervalue) to $3.04/stick (premium).
- Excise is identical across all 20-packs at $28.06. The price difference between segments is the manufacturer and retailer margin.
Quick Answer: Before July 2025, Australian smokers could reduce their per-cigarette cost by buying larger packs (25s, 30s, 40s, 50s). From 1 July 2025, legislation standardised all factory-made cigarette packs to exactly 20 cigarettes, eliminating the bulk-pack discount. Today, the only way to compare per-stick costs is across brand price segments: supervalue brands average $1.98 per stick, while premium brands average $3.04 per stick (Tobacco in Australia, Chapter 13.3, September 2025).
What pack sizes were available before July 2025?
Before the implementation of pack size standardisation, the Australian cigarette market was characterised by a broad range of pack sizes. As Tobacco in Australia, Chapter 13.3 documents, factory-made cigarette packs were available in sizes from 20 sticks up to 50 sticks. This wide dispersion made it difficult to establish a single average cigarette price, because larger packs skewed the average pack price upward while offering a lower cost per stick.
The pack size range was a deliberate industry strategy. By offering larger packs at a lower per-stick price, manufacturers and retailers could appeal to price-sensitive smokers while maintaining higher margins on smaller, convenience-sized packs. Tobacco in Australia notes that the cheapest factory-made cigarette pack cost about half the price of the most expensive pack at September 2025, driven by both pack size and brand segment differences.
| Pack Size | Sticks | Excise (per pack) | Per-Stick Cost Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20-pack | 20 | $28.06 | Baseline: highest per-stick cost |
| 25-pack | 25 | $35.08 | Lower per-stick: fixed costs spread over more sticks |
| 30-pack | 30 | $42.09 | Further per-stick reduction |
| 40-pack | 40 | $56.12 | Significant per-stick saving on packaging |
| 50-pack | 50 | $70.15 | Lowest per-stick cost available |
Excise calculated at $1.403 per stick (March 2025 rate). Actual retail prices varied by brand segment and retailer. 25, 30, 40 and 50-stick packs are no longer sold from July 2025.
Why did larger packs cost less per cigarette?
The per-stick cost advantage of larger packs came from two sources. First, fixed costs such as packaging, distribution, and retail handling are spread across more cigarettes. A 50-pack uses roughly the same retail shelf space and checkout time as a 20-pack, but the per-unit share of those costs is far lower. Second, manufacturers priced larger packs to capture price-sensitive smokers who would otherwise switch to cheaper brands or roll-your-own tobacco.
The excise, however, offered no bulk discount. Excise is a flat per-stick tax. A 50-pack carried exactly 2.5 times the excise of a 20-pack: $70.15 versus $28.06. The bulk discount came entirely from the manufacturer and retailer margins, not from any tax saving.
What changed on 1 July 2025?
On 1 July 2025, Australian legislation standardised all factory-made cigarette packs to exactly 20 cigarettes and all roll-your-own pouches to exactly 30 grams of tobacco. The law was passed in December 2023 and came into full effect in mid-2025, as reported by Tobacco in Australia, Chapter 13.3. The stated policy goal was to close the bulk-pack discount loophole, which was identified as a price-minimising behaviour that undermined the public health impact of tobacco taxation.
The standardisation means every legally sold pack of factory-made cigarettes now contains the same number of sticks. There is no longer a way to reduce per-stick cost by choosing a larger format within the legal market. The only remaining variables are brand segment and retailer pricing.
What does a 20-pack cost in Australia today?
With all packs standardised to 20 cigarettes, comparing cigarette costs is now a comparison across brand price segments. According to Tobacco in Australia, Chapter 13.3, the average 20-pack prices by segment as of September 2025 were as follows.
| Price Segment | Avg 20-Pack Price | Per-Stick Cost | Excise Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervalue | $39.69 | $1.98 | ~70.7% |
| Value | $40.66 | $2.03 | ~69.0% |
| Mainstream | $54.99 | $2.32 | ~51.0% |
| Premium | $60.72 | $3.04 | ~46.2% |
Source: Tobacco in Australia, Chapter 13.3, September 2025. Excise share calculated from $28.06 per 20-pack (March 2025 rate).
Value $2.03
Mainstream $2.32
Premium $3.04
How do you calculate per-stick cigarette cost?
With all packs standardised to 20 cigarettes, calculating the per-stick cost is straightforward: divide the pack price by 20. For example, a supervalue brand at $39.69 per pack costs $1.98 per stick. A premium brand at $60.72 costs $3.04 per stick. The $1.06 per-stick difference between the cheapest and most expensive segments adds up quickly: a pack-a-day premium smoker spends roughly $387 more per year than a supervalue smoker on the per-stick price alone.
For carton buyers, divide the carton price by 200. A $195 carton works out to $0.975 per stick, while a $230 carton works out to $1.15 per stick. Carton per-stick costs are generally lower than single-pack equivalents because the retailer margin is spread across a larger purchase.
How should you compare cigarette costs across brands?
With pack sizes standardised, comparing cigarette costs in Australia is now primarily about brand and retailer choice. The key questions to ask when comparing prices are: which price segment does the brand belong to, what is the per-pack listed price listed on the product page, and whether the retailer offers a carton discount. Because excise is identical across all 20-packs at $28.06, the price difference between a $39.69 supervalue pack and a $60.72 premium pack comes almost entirely from the manufacturer and retailer share. Understanding this helps adult smokers make informed comparisons: the cigarette inside each pack is taxed identically, and the higher price of premium brands reflects brand positioning and product costs, not a higher tax burden.
A carton of 200 cigarettes (10 packs of 20) can offer a meaningful per-pack saving compared to buying single packs. This is because retailers often apply a lower margin per pack on carton sales, passing some of the fixed-cost savings on to the buyer. The excise on a 200-cigarette carton is approximately $280.65, which is the same whether the cigarettes are sold as individual packs or as a carton. The carton discount comes from the retail margin, not the tax. At SmokerAU, for example, value-focused carton brands like Manchester are listed at $195-$230 per carton, which works out to $19.50-$23.00 per 20-pack equivalent. This is below the supervalue average of $39.69, but carton pricing is retailer-specific and checking the live product pages is the only way to confirm a current price before purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Australia standardise cigarette pack sizes?
The July 2025 standardisation aimed to close the bulk-pack discount loophole. Before the law, smokers could reduce their per-stick cost by buying larger packs (40s, 50s), which undermined the public health impact of tobacco taxation. Standardising all packs to 20 cigarettes removed this price-minimising behaviour (Tobacco in Australia, Chapter 13.3).
Are 25-pack or 30-pack cigarettes still sold in Australia?
No. From 1 July 2025, all factory-made cigarette packs sold in Australia must contain exactly 20 cigarettes. Packs of 25, 30, 40 or 50 cigarettes are no longer legally available. This applies nationwide.
How much cheaper was a 50-pack per stick compared to a 20-pack?
The per-stick saving on a 50-pack came from lower packaging, distribution and retail costs per unit, not from any excise discount. Excise is per-stick and does not offer bulk savings. The exact saving varied by brand, but the fixed costs of packaging and retail handling were spread across 50 sticks rather than 20, creating a meaningful per-unit discount. With standardisation, this option no longer exists.
What is the cheapest 20-pack in Australia in 2026?
Supervalue brands averaged $39.69 per 20-pack as of September 2025 (TIA, Chapter 13.3). The cheapest individual pack in the supervalue segment was less than this average. Live retailer pricing should be checked before purchase, as prices vary by outlet and over time.
Is buying a carton cheaper than buying single packs?
Typically yes. A carton of 200 cigarettes (10 packs of 20) often carries a lower per-pack price than buying 10 individual packs. For example, value-focused carton brands listed at $195-$230 per carton work out to $19.50-$23.00 per 20-pack equivalent, well below the supervalue single-pack average of $39.69. However, carton pricing is retailer-specific.
Conclusion
Australia’s July 2025 pack size standardisation ended the era of bulk-pack discounts on cigarettes. Every legally sold pack now contains 20 cigarettes, and the per-stick cost difference comes from brand segment rather than pack format. Supervalue brands offer the lowest per-stick cost at $1.98 on average, while premium brands cost $3.04 per stick. Adult smokers comparing cigarette costs should focus on brand segment, live retailer pricing, and whether carton purchases offer a meaningful saving.
For more on cigarette pricing, see our why cigarettes are expensive guide and cheapest cigarette brands comparison.
Related Guides
- Why are cigarettes so expensive in Australia?
- Cheapest cigarette brands in Australia
- Australian cigarette price tracker
Sources
- Tobacco in Australia, Chapter 13.3 “How much do tobacco products cost in Australia?”, Bayly M and Scollo MM, Cancer Council Victoria, last updated December 2025. https://www.tobaccoinaustralia.org.au/chapter-13-taxation/13-3-how-much-do-tobacco-products-cost-in-australia
- Tobacco in Australia, Chapter 13.6 “What tobacco taxes apply in Australia?”, Bayly M and Scollo MM, Cancer Council Victoria, last updated March 2026. https://www.tobaccoinaustralia.org.au/chapter-13-taxation/13-6-what-tobacco-taxes-apply-in-australia
Article by davidhe, Product Specialist at SmokerAU. Published June 2026. Last reviewed 28 June 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Prices are subject to change. Cigarettes are harmful and addictive. For adults 18+ only.