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The Average Cost of Smoking

According to the American Cancer Society, an individual smoker can calculate the average cost of his smoking habit by estimating the price of one pack of cigarettes and then calculating the number of packs smoked over a day, week or month. Experts at the American Cancer Society also note that the costs of smoking can include smoking-associated health problems, and even personal hygiene concerns that result from smoking.

  1. Cost of Cigarettes

    • A financial report from MSN, published in September 2008, indicates that the average cost of a pack of cigarettes fell between $4.50 and $5, including taxes. The report suggests that a smoker who is smoking one pack a day will spend approximately $1,600 per year on cigarettes. The American Cancer Society offers a free calculator to visitors of its website. A smoker can use this tool to more accurately calculate his personal cigarette expenses.

    Health Complications and Health Insurance

    • The American Cancer Society reports that smoking increases the risk of health issues such as cancer, lung disease, cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. Smokers must consider the cost of treatment for these health issues as well as the increased health insurance costs they pay. In September 2008, financial researchers from MSN investigated the cost of health insurance for smokers and found that premiums for smokers were more expensive. Regency Blue Shield, for example, charged a 44-year-old male non-smoker $292 a month for a plan with a $1,500 deductible. A smoker is charged $338 per month for the same plan, which is an annual difference of $552. The same report from MSN says that 5 percent of companies charge employees higher health care premiums if they smoke.

    Cleaning Expenses

    • Hilary Smith of MSN suggests that cleaning expenses for cars, furniture and even clothes all can add to the costs of smoking. The upholstery in cars or on couches, for example, can be discolored by smoke, and the smell is difficult to remove. In many cases, smokers will have to replace upholstery, rugs or furnishings before resale of a car or house. The estimated cleaning costs for the average home are $280 per year for carpeting and between $25 and $50 for each piece of upholstered furniture.

    Homeowners Insurance

    • Smith also notes that many insurance companies charge smokers higher homeowners premiums. The insurance companies often find that there is a correlation between smoking and accidental household fires that occur when cigarettes are left unattended. Homeowner policies can cost from $457-$1,372 annually, and non-smokers are often given discounts of 10 percent.

    Personal Hygiene

    • The American Cancer Society outlines a wide variety of personal hygiene issues that result from smoking. The most obvious are yellowing of the teeth, skin and hair damage. Smokers often turn to procedures such as teeth-whitening or expensive skin care regimens to reverse these effects, and these procedures add to the overall annual cost of smoking. Smith notes that most professional teeth whitening services charge between $400 to $600 for a treatment. Dry cleaning clothes more frequently can cost up to $150 per year. An individual smoker can consider these costs when factoring his overall annual smoking expenses.

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