You have probably heard some people say that one of the reasons why they switched to vaping was that it was cheaper than smoking cigarettes.
Indeed, vaping can be much more affordable than smoking, especially for those who smoke one pack of cigarettes daily.
But how is vaping cheaper than smoking, exactly? Let’s compare the price of buying cigarettes in Canada with what it costs to switch to vaping.
How much does it cost to smoke one pack of cigarettes a day?
Let’s start by calculating how much it costs to smoke one pack of cigarettes daily in Canada.
The price of 20 cigarettes varies from province to province, but on average, it will cost $13.91. That amounts to $417.30 for one month and $5,077.15 for a full year.
So, on average, a Canadian who smokes a pack a day will spend more than $5,000 on cigarettes yearly. That cost will be much higher in provinces like Manitoba, where cigarettes are more expensive. One pack of cigarettes costs $17.48, which amounts to $6,379.74 for one year of smoking.
Now, let’s compare this with how much it costs to vape. The cost of vaping varies from one option to another, so let’s take a closer look at three popular options.
How much does it cost to switch to disposable vapes?
Disposable vapes feature a built-in battery and are pre-filled with e-liquid. When there is no more e-liquid, the user throws it away because it can’t be recharged or refilled.
Some vapers consider them a convenient way to vape, but disposable vapes are the most expensive vaping option out there.
The price of disposable vapes varies from brand to brand and depends on their size and the strength of the e-liquid inside. Let’s say the average price is $21 for a device that will last three days. If a vaper buys a new disposable vape every three days, the cost of vaping will amount to $2,555 for one year.
Going from $5,077.15 for cigarettes to $2,555 for disposable vapes allows you to save a lot of money in a year. But what about less expensive vaping options?
How much does it cost to use a vape pen with disposable pods?
Pod systems are convenient and easy to use. The battery of these vape pens can be recharged, and they work with pre-filled pod cartridges. When a pod is empty, the user can simply replace it with a new pod.
The user first has to buy a vape pen designed for pods. These devices usually cost between $15 and $20 and last no longer than three months. After that, a new device needs to be purchased.
Then, a pack of 3 pod cartridges will cost $18 on average. If the user vapes one cartridge a day, the average price of vaping pods for one year will be $2,260.
That’s cheaper than vaping disposables and a lot cheaper than smoking cigarettes. To save even more money, you can use a refillable vaping device instead of a pod system.
How much does it cost to use a refillable vaping device?
To vape with a refillable device, you first need to buy a starter kit. The price varies, but let’s say they cost an average of $60. A starter kit includes a device with a rechargeable battery and a tank that can be refilled.
Vaping devices have a coil that needs to be replaced every two months, costing an average of $3.50 each time.
Then, you need to buy at least one bottle of e-liquid to refill the device’s tank. Of course, the price of e-liquid depends on the brand, as well as on the size of the bottle. On average, a bottle of 120ml will cost $65 and last up to 24 days.
If the vaper buys a new starter kit each year and only one bottle of 120ml at a time, the price of vaping with a refillable device could be $1070 for one year.
What about the new Canadian excise tax?
You might have heard the Canadian government recently introduced a new excise tax on e-liquids, disposable vapes, and pre-filled pods. If you are worried that this new tax will make vaping more expensive, you should know there is already a similar tax on tobacco products.
Let’s take a closer look at the excise tax applied to e-liquids. The rate is $1 per 2ml for the first 10ml and then $1 per every additional 10ml. If you buy a larger bottle of your favourite vape juice instead of a 10ml bottle, you will save a lot of money in the long run.
Even with the excise tax, vaping is still cheaper than smoking.
