Cigarette Prices in Hungary (2026)
⚠️ Customs Rules and Transport Limits
From another EU country, you can bring up to 800 cigarettes for personal use. From outside the EU (Serbia, Ukraine), the allowance is only 40 cigarettes by road or rail, and 200 cigarettes by air, from the age of 17.
🌍 Overview
| Brands | Average Price | Reliability |
|---|---|---|
| Marlboro | 8.05 € (2,950 Ft) | High reliability |
| Winston | 6.80 € (2,490 Ft) | High reliability |
| Camel | 7.34 € (2,690 Ft) | High reliability |
| LD | 7.07 € (2,590 Ft) | High reliability |
| Chesterfield | 7.62 € (2,790 Ft) | High reliability |
| Pall Mall | 7.83 € (2,870 Ft) | High reliability |
| Lucky Strike | 7.94 € (2,910 Ft) | High reliability |
| Davidoff | 7.56 € (2,770 Ft) | High reliability |
| West | 7.04 € (2,580 Ft) | High reliability |
| Kent | 6.42 € (2,350 Ft) | High reliability |
| Rothmans | 5.87 € (2,150 Ft) | High reliability |
| Dunhill | 7.94 € (2,910 Ft) | High reliability |
High reliability: official primary source or verifiable trade press. Medium: price rebuilt from confirmed data points, or surveyed at a retailer or in the press. Low: extrapolated. "Estimate": price not surveyed for this brand, calculated from that of Marlboro, the country's reference brand.
Average pack price over time
Average of the 9 brands tracked without a break since 2017 (out of 12), by year.
📋 Tobacco Regulation & Policy
💰 Tax regime
Cigarettes carry a mixed excise: since 1 November 2026, 36,720 forints per 1,000 cigarettes plus 24% of the retail price, with a minimum of 59,800 forints (Act L of 2026), plus 27% VAT, the highest rate in the European Union. On a pack of Marlboro at 2,950 forints, taxes make up about 70% of the price, by our calculation. Rolling tobacco pays 32,200 forints per kilo plus 5% of the price, heated tobacco 50 forints per stick.
📈 Price policy
Manufacturers set their prices, but every price must be registered with the SZTFH regulator, which publishes it before it takes effect. Rises mostly follow excise increases passed by Parliament, and the excise is also indexed every 1 January to the previous July's inflation (+1.2% on 1 January 2027).
Next increase: 1 January 2027 (automatic indexation). See the increase calendar by country
At the statutory minimum wage, a pack of Marlboro takes 95 minutes of work in Hungary. Compare with other countries
Rolling tobacco: Golden Virginia 30 g at 2,690 Ft (official list). Compare with other countries
🏛️ Key legislative milestones
On 1 January 2002, the ban on direct and indirect tobacco advertising, written into the advertising act in 2001, extends to billboards, after print media in July 2001.
On 1 January 2012, the non-smokers' protection act bans smoking in all enclosed public places, bars and restaurants included.
On 1 July 2013, retail tobacco sales become reserved to the state: they are allowed only in licensed shops, the "Nemzeti Dohánybolt" (Act CXXXIV of 2012), which minors may not enter.
Since 1 January 2022, cigarettes and rolling tobacco may only be placed on the market in plain packs. The rule, adopted in 2016 for new brands, was due to cover all of them on 20 May 2019; Government Decree 244/2018 postponed it to 1 January 2022.
Act L of 2026, passed on 15 September, raises the excise on 1 November 2026: 36,720 forints per 1,000 cigarettes instead of 33,690 (+9%) and a minimum of 59,800 forints instead of 47,140 (+27%). Marlboro goes from 2,750 to 2,950 forints according to the official SZTFH list.
On 1 January 2027, the excise is indexed to July 2026 inflation (+1.2%): 37,160 forints per 1,000 cigarettes and a minimum of 60,520 forints, rates already published by the Hungarian tax authority (NAV).
📰 Hungary: news and guides
NewsHungary raises tobacco tax on 1 November 2026: Marlboro now costs more than in Austria
Since 1 November 2026, Hungary taxes tobacco more heavily. Marlboro Red went from 2,750 to 2,950 forints, or €8.05: it now costs more than in Austria.
NewsTobacco prices on 1 January 2027: what changes in Europe, country by country
Increases passed in Germany, Italy and Poland, rates frozen in the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain: what laws and budgets have in store for tobacco prices in 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Data & sources
Last updated :
Methodology : Prices taken from the official list of the SZTFH regulator, which registers every retail price and publishes it with its validity dates since 1 January 2017: prices on 1 July each year, and for 2026 prices in the 2 November 2026 list. No interpolation, no estimates, nothing before 2017. Converted into euros at each year's July European Central Bank rate, and at the 30 October 2026 rate for 2026.
Official list to check the reference price (Marlboro) : SZTFH : liste officielle des prix de vente au détail des produits du tabac appliqués depuis le 1er janvier 2017 (version du 2 novembre 2026) ↗
Main sources (6)
- SZTFH, liste officielle des prix (HU, 2017-2026)
- NAV, administration fiscale : taux d'accise sur le tabac (1er novembre 2026, 1er janvier 2027)
- Loi L de 2026 (Magyar Közlöny) : hausse d'accise du 1er novembre 2026
- Décret gouvernemental 244/2018 : paquet neutre pour toutes les marques au 1er janvier 2022
- KSH, d'après l'Eurobaromètre spécial 539 (2023) : prévalence du tabagisme
- ECB, EUR/HUF
Provided for informational purposes only. Verify with official sources for any critical use.