The Real Cost of Smoking

 

 

Smoking only 20 cigarettes a day will cost you hundreds of thousands of pounds over your working lifetime, that's for those that make it that far.

 

The figures are below:

Cost of smoking in the United States

No. Cost/Pack Week Month 1 Year 10 Years Lifetime (18-65 yrs)
5 $4.52 $7.91 $33.90 $421.57 $5,333.38 $86,991.83
10 $4.52 $15.82 $67.80 $843.14 $10,666.77 $173,983.65
15 $4.52 $23.73 $101.70 $1,264.71 $16,000.15 $260,975.48
20 $4.52 $31.64 $135.60 $1,686.28 $21,333.53 $347,967.30
25 $4.52 $39.55 $169.50 $2,107.84 $26,666.91 $434,959.13
30 $4.52 $47.46 $203.40 $2,529.41 $32,000.30 $521,950.95
40 $4.52 $63.28 $271.20 $3,372.55 $42,667.06 $695,934.60
50 $4.52 $79.10 $339.00 $4,215.69 $53,333.83 $869,918.25
60 $4.52 $94.92 $406.80 $5,058.83 $64,000.59 $1,043,901.90
* average cost per pack across all states in 2006 (range $3.50 - $6.18)
~ 5% interest rate for savings - eMoney Market rate in US is currently 5.3%  

 

Cost of smoking in the United Kingdom

No. Cost/Pack Week Month 1 Year 10 Years Lifetime (18-65 yrs)
5 £5.50 £9.63 £41.25 £515.51 £6,852.58 £149,180.81
10 £5.50 £19.25 £82.50 £1,031.03 £13,705.17 £298,361.63
15 £5.50 £28.88 £123.75 £1,546.54 £20,557.75 £447,542.44
20 £5.50 £38.50 £165.00 £2,062.05 £27,410.34 £596,723.26
25 £5.50 £48.13 £206.25 £2,577.57 £34,262.92 £745,904.07
30 £5.50 £57.75 £247.50 £3,093.08 £41,115.51 £895,084.89
40 £5.50 £77.00 £330.00 £4,124.11 £54,820.68 £1,193,446.52
50 £5.50 £96.25 £412.50 £5,155.13 £68,525.85 £1,491,808.15
60 £5.50 £115.50 £495.00 £6,186.16 £82,231.01 £1,790,169.78

* average cost per pack of £5.50
~ 6% interest rate for savings - average building society rate

 

If you're really sceptical and a sucker for punishment then this page on the true price of smoking will take you to a page showing week by week the costs over 60 years.