A typical 20-pack in Perth currently retails within the common national price range, and most of the retail cost is tax, not tobacco. The bulk of this cost comes from the federal excise duty, which the Australian Taxation Office updates twice yearly. Shoppers who want to check live retail prices or compare cartons online can browse the Cigarette Nearby cigarette collection for current listings.
TL;DR:
- Perth cigarette prices are primarily influenced by federal excise duty, which is set at $1.55274 per stick as of September 2026, regardless of the state.
- Buying cartons offers lower per-stick costs than single packs, with Marlboro Red and Manchester Reserve being popular cost-effective options for online bulk orders.
- RYO tobacco’s price advantage has narrowed due to reduced equivalisation weight, making it more comparable to factory-made cigarettes on a cost-per-session basis.
- Local overheads, freight, and limited competition often cause Perth retail prices to be slightly higher than in other Australian cities.
- Checking that online prices include all taxes, delivery fees, and verifying seller legitimacy significantly helps smokers find legal, transparent, and more affordable options.
Table of Contents
- What Perth smokers are paying: sample prices and how to read them
- How excise and indexation drive the retail price
- RYO versus factory-made: how tax alignment changed the equation
- Practical ways Perth smokers can get a better legal price
- Featured cartons from Cigarette Nearby and who each suits
- A Perth buyer’s experience buying cartons online
- Perth market snapshot: local factors that affect price
- Where policy and pricing meet for Perth smokers
- Shop cartons and check current Perth delivery options at Cigarette Nearby
- Sources
- FAQ
What Perth smokers are paying: sample prices and how to read them
Retail price boards vary between suburbs, but the pattern across Perth is consistent once you know what to look for. A standard 20-pack sits at the lower end of the national range, a 25-pack usually costs proportionally more per stick, and 30-packs tend to offer the best per-stick value for smokers who buy in volume.
To compare fairly, divide the shelf price by the number of sticks in the pack. A $45 20-pack works out to roughly $2.25 per stick, while a $58 30-pack comes to around $1.93 per stick. That gap adds up quickly over a month.
A few things to check before assuming you have found a good deal:
- Confirm the price includes excise and GST, since both are built into the shelf price for licensed retailers and should never appear as a separate line item at checkout.
- Ask whether delivery fees are extra when buying online, particularly for smaller orders that fall under a free-shipping threshold.
- Compare like for like, since a 20-pack of a premium international blend will always cost more than a 20-pack of a budget domestic brand.
Perth prices sometimes run a little higher than in Sydney or Melbourne. This usually comes down to retail overheads and freight costs rather than any Western Australia-specific tax, since the federal excise rate applies uniformly across the country.
How excise and indexation drive the retail price
The excise duty is the single biggest factor behind what you pay at the counter. As of 1 September 2026, the ATO’s published rate for tobacco in stick form is $1.55274 per stick, up from $1.52829 in the March to August 2026 period.
$1.55274 per stick is the current federal excise rate for factory-made cigarettes as of 1 September 2026, according to the ATO. For a standard 20-pack, that works out to more than $31 in excise alone before GST and retail margin are added.
Rates are indexed twice a year, in March and September, based on Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE), a mechanism the Department of Health confirms is designed to stop cigarettes from becoming more affordable as wages rise. Government policy consistently frames these increases as a public health lever, and enforcement funding has followed the same track record, with the Department of Health tying excise rises to increased action against illicit tobacco supply.
RYO versus factory-made: how tax alignment changed the equation
Roll-your-own tobacco used to be the obvious way to save money, but that gap has narrowed considerably. The ATO uses an equivalisation weight to tax RYO tobacco on a comparable basis to manufactured cigarettes, and that weight was reduced to 0.6 grams per stick effective 1 September 2026, alongside a non-stick excise rate of $2,587.90 per kilogram.
Run the numbers on a standard 30-gram RYO pouch and the picture becomes clearer:
- A 30-gram pouch equivalises to roughly 50 cigarette-equivalent sticks under the 0.6 g/stick formula.
- At $2,587.90 per kilogram, the excise alone on that pouch comes to about $77.64, before the pouch price, GST and retail margin are added.
0.6 grams per stick is the current equivalisation weight the ATO applies to loose tobacco, a figure that has steadily narrowed RYO’s traditional price advantage over factory-made cigarettes. The rule of thumb for Perth smokers weighing up the switch: RYO can still work out cheaper per session because you control how much tobacco goes into each cigarette, but it is no longer automatically the budget option it once was.
Practical ways Perth smokers can get a better legal price
There is no way around the excise, but there are legitimate ways to reduce what you pay above it.
- Buy cartons instead of single packs. Carton pricing spreads the fixed retail margin across more sticks, which usually brings the per-pack cost down noticeably.
- Compare online catalogues before you commit, checking that the seller lists an Australian business contact, clear delivery timeframes, and prices that already include tax.
- Consider RYO for high-volume smokers, since the per-session cost can still work out lower even after equivalisation, particularly for those who roll thinner cigarettes.
- Watch for red flags on unusually cheap offers, since prices well below the market range often signal illicit or unregulated product rather than a genuine bargain.
Pro Tip: Before ordering online, search for the seller’s Australian Business Number and check that packaging descriptions match what plain packaging laws require. Legitimate retailers never hide this information.
For a broader look at legal ways to reduce spend, our guide to cheap tobacco in Australia covers strategies beyond cartons, and our loose tobacco brands guide breaks down RYO options in more detail.
Featured cartons from Cigarette Nearby and who each suits
Perth smokers comparing cigarette brands online have a few standout carton options worth knowing about, each suited to a different priority.
- Manchester Reserve Cigarettes (10 packets x 20s) suits smokers after a rich, full-bodied premium blend, with the carton format offering better per-stick value than buying single packs.
- Davidoff Red Cigarettes (10 packets x 20s) suits those who prefer a full-flavour European blend, with fast delivery available across Australia.
- Marlboro Red Cigarettes (10 packets x 20s) suits smokers who want a familiar, classic full-flavour option with broad recognition and carton deals available Australia-wide.
Each of these is sold by the carton, which is the format most likely to bring the per-stick price down compared with buying loose packs from a local retailer.
A Perth buyer’s experience buying cartons online
One Perth customer switched from buying single packs at a local convenience store to ordering cartons online, citing the price difference and the convenience of discreet delivery to their door.
The takeaway for anyone trying this for the first time: verify the seller before you buy, not after.
Perth market snapshot: local factors that affect price
Perth’s cigarette prices can run slightly above the eastern states, and it is rarely about the tax rate itself, since excise applies uniformly nationwide.
- Retail overheads in Western Australia, including rent and staffing costs, often get passed on at the counter.
- Limited local competition in some suburbs means fewer retailers competing on price.
- Freight and stock availability can affect which brands are on shelf and at what markup, particularly outside the metro area.
For a rundown of tobacconists across the Perth region, from Fremantle to Joondalup, Rockingham and beyond, see our Western Australia tobacconist overview.
Where policy and pricing meet for Perth smokers
Excise increases are a deliberate public health tool, and there is a reasonable case that higher prices do reduce smoking rates over time. Our focus stays narrower: helping adult smokers find legal supply at a fair price, with transparent pricing and discreet delivery, rather than commenting on whether the policy itself is working.
— Cigarette Online
Shop cartons and check current Perth delivery options at Cigarette Nearby
Perth smokers comparing prices between local retailers and online sellers often find that carton buying through Cigarette Nearby’s cigarette collection works out better value, particularly on brands like Manchester Reserve and Marlboro Red.
- Bulk carton discounts on popular brands, including Manchester Reserve and Marlboro Red.
- Delivery across Australia, including to Perth and regional Western Australia.
- Discreet packaging on every order, with no branding visible on the outer parcel.
Check delivery timeframes and confirm you meet the legal age requirement for buying cigarette online or tobacco online before placing your order.
FAQ
How much does a pack of cigarettes cost in WA?
A standard 20-pack in Perth and across Western Australia typically retails within the common national price range, depending on the brand and retailer. Most of that price reflects the federal excise duty of $1.55274 per stick as of 1 September 2026, which applies uniformly across Australia.
How much does a 20-pack of cigarettes cost in Australia?
Prices for a 20-pack across Australia generally sit within the common national price range seen in Perth, since the excise rate is set federally rather than state by state. Retail margins and local overheads account for most of the small variation between cities.
How much does a 30-pack of cigarettes cost in Australia?
A 30-pack usually costs more in total than a 20-pack but offers a lower price per stick, often providing better per-cigarette value once you account for the excise built into the price. Buying larger pack sizes or full cartons tends to be the better value option for regular smokers.
How much does a 25-pack of cigarettes cost in Australia?
A 25-pack sits between the 20-pack and 30-pack in total price, with a per-stick cost that normally falls between those pack sizes, depending on brand and retailer. The exact figure depends on the brand and retailer, since pack pricing is not set by the excise rate alone.
Why are cigarette prices in Perth sometimes higher than other cities?
Perth prices can run slightly above those in Sydney or Melbourne, mainly because of local retail overheads, freight costs and limited competition among retailers rather than any different tax treatment. The federal excise duty applies at the same rate nationwide, so the difference comes from the retail side, not the tax side.
Recommended
- How to Reduce Cost of Cigarettes in Australia: 2026 Guide
- Cheap Tobacco Australia: Finding Value in 2026
- Western Australia Tobacconists: Popular Cigarette, Tobacco & Smokes Shops
- How to Find Better Cigarette Value Without Only Looking at Price
Online Cigarette Nearby provides articles for general information only and may not offer professional advice. Some content is intended for adults aged 18+ only. Help quitting smoking, contact your local Quitline.
