In Pennsylvania, the average retail price of a pack of cigarettes is $5.74. The tax rate for a pack of 20 cigarettes in Pennsylvania is $1.60 per pack, or 8 cents per cigarette.
While the average cost of a pack of cigarettes is $5.74 to the smoker, the average cost of a pack of cigarettes is far higher to the state. When the cost of health care, workplace productivity loss and premature death is factored in, the average cost to the state of Pennsylvania for one pack of cigarettes is $20.16. The American Lung Association suggests that for every $1 Pennsylvania invests in smoking cessation treatments, the return on investment is $1.23.
