Vaping vs Smoking: Cost Comparison Calculator
Key takeaways
The calculator compares a year of cigarettes with a year of vape liquid and hardware, using only the prices you enter. It compares cost, not health effects. Federal excise duty applies to both products, and the page lists the vaping duty rates.
Smokers who think about switching usually ask about money first. The answer depends on how much you smoke, how much liquid you go through and what you pay for both, so this calculator leaves the prices to you.
What to enter
For cigarettes, enter how many you smoke a day, the pack size and what a pack costs. For vaping, enter the millilitres of liquid you use in a week, the price of 10 mL, and what you spend each year on the device, coils or pods. The calculator turns both into a yearly cost and shows the difference.
Why prices differ so much
Taxes make up part of both prices. Ottawa charges excise duty on cigarettes and on vaping liquid, and the federal vaping duty is $1.12 per 2 mL for the first 10 mL, then $1.12 per 10 mL, since 1 July 2024. See vape taxes in Canada for the provincial part and what a pack of cigarettes carries in tax.
Cost is not the whole picture
The result says nothing about health. Read e-cigarette risks and benefits before you decide, and if you want to stop smoking and vaping, see free quit help by province.
Vape vs cigarettes cost calculator
- Cigarettes per year
- Vaping per year
- Difference per year
Cost only. This does not compare health effects. Enter your own prices; the calculator uses no price data from any store.
Figures are estimates for planning. Actual prices and taxes vary by seller and date. Read the full disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the prices come from?
From you. The calculator does not use store prices, so it reflects what you actually pay.
Are both products taxed?
Yes. Federal excise duty applies to vaping liquid as well as to cigarettes, and some provinces add their own taxes. The federal vaping duty is $1.12 per 2 mL for the first 10 mL, then $1.12 per 10 mL, since 1 July 2024.
Does cheaper mean better?
Not by itself. Cost is one factor. For what is known about risk, read the page on e-cigarette risks and benefits.
Sources
- Excise duty rates (tobacco and vaping duty rates) — Canada Revenue Agency. Accessed October 27, 2026.