Vaping vs Smoking – How Much Do You Save?

When it comes to answering the question; “How much can you really save with Vaping vs Smoking?“, there’s not just one answer to this complicated question. The amount individuals spend on both vaping and smoking will largely vary due to personal opinions and habits. For example, someone who regularly smokes a pack of the most expensive cigarettes a day will save a lot more than casual smokers who get through a pack in three or four days. Plus, how frequently you vape, the amount and type of equipment you buy, and the cost of premium or budget eJuice has an impact as well.

While it’s widely accepted that switching to vaping saves smokers a lot of money, how much can this really add up to?

Vaping vs Smoking – The Upfronts

One of the main arguments that smokers make against vaping is how much it costs at the start. While it’s true that price of an electronic cigarette or vaping stick will be a lot more than a pack of cigarettes, it will also last a lot longer than the day or two that one pack does.

You can find disposable e-cigarettes that will set you back about £6, and though they should last longer than a pack of regular cigarettes, they still cost more long-term than a vaping kit from VIP Electronic Cigarettes. A typical beginner kit, including equipment, coils and e-liquid should be between £40 and £50.

Cigarette and Tobacco Prices are Rising

It hasn’t been good news for smokers in the past few years, as increases in taxation have seen the price of cigarettes rocket. There have also been suggestions that they could be set to rise even further. It’s not just cigarettes either, rolling tobacco and cigars have been hit.

Those who smoke 20 cigarettes a day will have had to pay an extra £178.85 a year after changes announced in the Autumn Budget in 2017. In the UK the average price for a pack of 20 cigarettes is now over £10 for the first time in history, at £10.40.

Vaping vs Smoking – Can we truly compare cost?

It’s hard to directly compare the costs of smoking and vaping as it all depends on the brands you buy and how frequently you engage in the activity. Using the average costs

Smoking

On average UK smokers consume 11.3 cigarettes a day, which is just over half a pack of 20. As the average price for a pack of 20 is £10.40, that equates to the average smoker spending £5.20 a day on smoking, or around £1,898 a year. The only other real cost for smokers is a lighter or matches. It will also vary for smokers who buy rolling tobacco or cigars as well.

Vaping

There’s a lot more kit involved with vaping, that needs replacing at different intervals. With a starter or base kit, it can cost from around £25 upwards, but should last for a long time before it needs replacing. The other costs you will need to budget for include:

• Battery: This should last for six months and a new one costs £5 to £8.
• Coils: Replace every week or two. A pack of five costs between £10 to £14 and will cover you for four to six weeks.
• E-liquids: A 10ml bottle can last for a week and cost anywhere from £1 to £5, depending on the quality.
• Tank: A replacement costs around £20, but this shouldn’t need replacing if it’s used and looked after properly.

Breaking down the costs, vaping shouldn’t cost much more than £10 a week, even if you vape regularly and don’t go for the cheapest e-liquids. Use this e-cig savings calculator. And insert how many cigarettes you smoke a day with the price of the brand you usually smoke, to see how much you could save each month and year by switching to vaping.

With so much pricing information out there, it’s hard to argue against the costs of vaping being significantly lower than that of smoking. If you’re looking to quit and save money at the same time, vaping could be for you.