Ireland has the second-most-expensive cigarettes in Europe, costing €17.03

Ireland is the second most costly country in the EU for cigarettes, a new study has revealed.

Vaping experts, Vape Superstore, have analysed the cost of cigarettes in each country to reveal where smokers spend the most on cigarettes, with only the UK beating out Ireland to the top spot in the EU.

The Government has progressively increased tobacco taxes over the years, making smoking an increasingly costly habit, with a pack cigarettes now costing on average €17.03.

It comes after the Government increased the price of a packet of cigarettes by 50 cent as part of Budget 2026.

The 50 cent increase brought the price of the most popular category of cigarettes to €18.95 – among the EU’s most expensive.

The cost for brands such as Silk Cut or Benson and Hedges is now up to €18.95(Image: Getty)

Campaigners have said the 50c increase on the excise duty on a packet of 20 cigarettes is "unfair" on law-abiding consumers and retailers in Ireland.

Ahead of the Budget, the smokers' group Forest had urged finance minister Paschal Donohoe to freeze excise duty on tobacco, arguing that a further increase would drive more smokers into the arms of criminal gangs and other illicit traders.

Simon Clark, director of Forest, said: “Purchased legally, tobacco costs more in Ireland than any other country in Europe. This latest tax hike, while relatively modest compared to last year, will drive even more smokers to the black market.

"Alternatively, many will buy their tobacco abroad where the cost is often significantly cheaper than at home."

He added: “Punishing consumers, especially those from poorer backgrounds, by repeatedly raising the tax on tobacco is not only unfair. It's also counter-productive because it will hurt legitimate retailers in Ireland, many of whom can't afford the loss of income from the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products."

The study by Vape Superstore found that the UK is the most expensive European country to buy a pack of cigarettes, costing €17.23, with Norwegian residents pay €13.75 (160.63 NOK) for one pack of cigarettes, making it the third most expensive country in Europe.

Meanwhile residents in the Marshall Islands pay €48 for one pack of cigarettes, the highest price in the world.

The remote island, 2,600 miles away from Australia, has a population of 37,000 people. The island relies on air and ship freight for deliveries due to its remote location, which inflates prices for a pack of cigarettes on the island.