Cigarette Tax Calculator: Where Your Money Goes
Key takeaways
The calculator splits the price you pay for a pack of 20 into the federal excise duty and the provincial or territorial tobacco tax, using the official rates. Sales tax is left out because it depends on the province.
Two governments tax every pack of cigarettes before it reaches the shelf. Ottawa charges excise duty, and the province or territory adds its own tobacco tax. This calculator takes the price you actually pay for a pack of 20 and shows how much of that price is those two taxes.
How the split is worked out
Both taxes are published per carton of 200 cigarettes. The calculator divides each by ten to get a figure for a pack of 20, then compares the total with your price. For example, if your province charges $60 per carton and the federal duty is $38.92 per carton, that is $6.00 and $3.89 on a pack of 20.
What it leaves out
Sales tax is not included. GST, HST, PST or QST may apply on top of the price, and how they apply differs between jurisdictions. Retailer margins and the manufacturer’s price are not itemised either, because no official source publishes them by province.
Next steps
See the full list of rates and their dates on the tobacco tax rates page, compare provinces on the tax per carton ranking, or work out your own yearly spend with the cost of smoking calculator.
How much of your pack is tax?
- Federal excise duty
- Provincial or territorial tobacco tax
- Both together
- Share of your price
Per pack of 20, from the official rates on the tax rates page. Sales tax (GST, HST, PST, QST) is not included.
Figures are estimates for planning. Actual prices and taxes vary by seller and date. Read the full disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
Does the result include GST or HST?
No. The calculator shows only federal excise duty and the provincial or territorial tobacco tax. Sales taxes are charged on top and vary by province, so they are not part of the split.
Where do the rates come from?
The federal rate comes from the Canada Revenue Agency's excise duty rates page. Each province's rate comes from its own finance or revenue page, linked from the tax rates page.
Why is my province missing from the list?
A jurisdiction appears only when we have read its rate on an official page. The rest are added as they are confirmed.
Sources
- Excise duty rates — Canada Revenue Agency. Accessed October 27, 2026.