What are the 15 most expensive cigarette brands in the world? There are around one billion smokers worldwide according to the World Health Organization, with some 80% of them living in low- and middle-income countries. In this way, among the 10 countries with the highest percentage of smokers, the top three are North Korea, Greece and Nauru.
Given that tobacco kills around 6 million people each year, including over 600,000 people that die from second-hand smoke, countries around the world are trying to curb this habit with measures like higher taxes on cigarettes meant to increase prices, the removal of most or all publicity of cigarette brands, and warning signs on packs that have become increasingly larger over time.
Nevertheless, despite the encouraging effects of various campaigns and measures against smoking, the number of smokers is still high, as cigarettes not only cause addiction, but also give people the illusion of another lifestyle. Young people start smoking because they want to look older among their friends and classmates, while older people (including myself) “say” that they are smoking because of stress and the pressures of life. In this way, smoking is a good method of releasing stress and can make a person feel better and more energized during rough times. However, given that the feeling of stress relief when you puff on a smoke is actually due to a person getting their “fix”, it’s tough to tell how much stress relief cigarettes are actually providing in a broader sense.
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However, to paraphrase Johnny Quid from “RocknRolla”, cigarettes are a major lie. On the one hand, you have a nice pack with a beautiful insignia that suggests a life of wealth and glamour, while, on the other hand, the bold message suggests that the contents of this pack might kill you. Now as some countries forbid almost any branding to be present on packs, with some governments insisting that packs should contain gross images of organs affected by smoking, smoking has become less glamorous, but still remains highly addictive.
Also, despite the lack of advertising and branding, many cigarette brands continue to prosper. In turn, this has sent the stocks of many tobacco companies soaring. For example, Reynolds American, Inc. (NYSE:RAI), which owns Camel, Pall Mall, and Kent, among other brands, has seen its share price gain 200% over the last five years, while the maker of L&M and Parliament, Altria Group Inc (NYSE:MO)‘s stock has surged by 132%; shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) and British American Tobacco PLC (ADR) (NYSEMKT:BTI) have enjoyed more modest gains of 27% and 30%, respectively.
However, the anti-tobacco laws make companies struggle when it comes to gaining market share, which is why lately there has been some consolidation in the space. In 2015, Reynolds American acquired Lorillard and earlier this year announced a merger with British American Tobacco, which agreed to pay $49.4 billion to create the largest publicly-traded tobacco company in the world. The deal sparked talks about a combination of Philip Morris International and Altria Group, which could reunite the Marlboro brand under one roof (currently PM markets Marlboro outside the U.S. and Altria is responsible for the brand inside the country).
Leaving the financial aspects of the industry aside, let’s take a closer look at the 15 most expensive cigarette brands in the world. The brands included in the list are available internationally, although the prices are based on their approximate cost in the U.S. Given that a significant part of the price includes the excise tax, prices may differ greatly based on location.
15. L&M
Price (per pack): $8.33
Company: Altria Group Inc (NYSE:MO)
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14. Winston
Price (per pack): $8.92
Company: ITG Brands LLC. (subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco Company) in U.S, Japan Tobacco outside U.S
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13. Davidoff
Price (per pack): $8.97
Company: Imperial Tobacco
This brand is owned by Imperial Tobacco, but the company manufacturing the cigarettes is independently owned by Oettinger Davidoff AG. The luxury Swiss brand was founded by Zino Davidoff and the styling of the pack alongside the white cigarettes makes them among the favorite luxury brands of men around the world. Let’s agree, taking out a pack that says Davidoff is more enjoyable than a pack that says…well, something else.
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12. Basic
Price (per pack): $9.92
Company: Philip Morris USA (division of Altria Group Inc (NYSE:MO))
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11. Marlboro
Price (per pack): $9.97
Company: Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) outside the US, Philip Morris USA (Altria Group Inc (NYSE:MO)) in the US
Growing up in a former Soviet Union country in the 1990s, I saw how capitalism develops and Marlboro was one of the main symbols of the new age alongside Coca-Cola and denim clothes. The Marlboro Man cowboy was present on billboards, in magazines, and on TV, showing us the beauty of life in the West. Despite switching to other brands on several occasions, Marlboro remains my favorite brand of cigarettes and this despite the fact that the pack sitting on my desk right now has a picture of a corpse. For some of the 15 most expensive cigarette brands in the world, I provide some commentary based on my own life experiences.
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10. Parliament
Price (per pack): $10.41
Company: Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) outside the US, Philip Morris USA (Altria Group Inc (NYSE:MO)) in the US
If Marlboro was the symbol of capitalism in former Soviet Union countries, Parliament, the number 10 on our list of most expensive cigarette brands in the world, was the symbol of luxury, as the brand ranked among the most expensive cigarettes. They were smoked prominently by newly-established businessmen and so-called “mobsters”, who wore black clothes, used gel in their hair and drove BMWs, which made Parliaments the ultimate symbol of “being cool”.
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9. American Spirit
Price (per pack): $10.47
Company: Reynolds American, Inc. (NYSE:RAI)
Tried them once in Germany and never touched a pack again. Guess I just don’t have an American spirit.
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8. Kent
Price (per pack): $10.78
Company: Reynolds American, Inc. (NYSE:RAI)
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7. Chesterfield
Price (per pack): $11.33
Company: Altria Group Inc (NYSE:MO)
James Bond might have made Aston Martin the dream car of many people, but only those who read Ian Fleming’s novels know that 007 also used to smoke Chesterfields. After re-reading Goldfinger a couple of years ago, I tried Chesterfield, but decided that I’d rather save money for an Aston Martin and have my martinis shaken, not stirred.
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6. Benson & Hedges
Price (per pack): $11.33
Company: Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM), British American Tobacco PLC (ADR) (NYSEMKT:BTI), Japan Tobacco
The only reason I tried Benson & Hedges that ranked 6th on our list of most expensive cigarette brands in the world, was due to its new “Silver Slide” pack. It was innovative, but the cigarettes were nothing special and didn’t justify paying more than for a pack of Marlboros.
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5. Dunhill
Price (per pack): $11.35
Company: British American Tobacco PLC (ADR) (NYSEMKT:BTI)
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4. Camel
Price (per pack): $11.64
Company: Reynolds American, Inc. (NYSE:RAI)
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3. Lucky Strike
Price (per pack): $11.67
Company: British American Tobacco PLC (ADR) (NYSEMKT:BTI)
“Everybody else’s tobacco is poisonous. “Lucky Strike” is toasted.” If you are a smoker and you know that this phrase was said by Don Draper in Mad Men, then you most likely tried smoking Lucky Strike (assuming that you are as easily influenced as I am). For some reason, where I live, Luckies are cheaper than Marlboros, so they are my second-favorite brand during times when money is tight.
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2. Pall Mall
Price (per pack): $11.67
Company: Reynolds American, Inc. (NYSE:RAI), British American Tobacco PLC (ADR) (NYSEMKT:BTI)
1. More
Price (per pack): $11.67
Company: Japan Tobacco in the EU, PMFTC (Fortune Tobacco) in the Philippines
In the end, the last three entries on our list have the highest prices per pack, and they are definitely the most expensive cigarette brands in the world.
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Disclosure: None
