How Much Do Vapes Cost in the UK?

The cost of vapes in the UK will depend on the type of device you’re buying. You’ll often find disposable vapes cost anything from £6 - £10. Meanwhile, you could find rechargeable vapes cost more, although there’s more variety in this range, meaning the price varies more so too.

Smaller, low powered rechargeables like pod based vapes and vape pens might cost you anything from just under £10 to £20 and above. Larger, higher powered vapes like vape mods might cost you more, and could range from £20 - £50 and above. All this said, exactly how much a vape will cost you depends on the product you’re looking at, and where you’re buying it from. 

Are you looking to make the switch from cigarettes to vapes? If so, you may have already investigated some of the differences between smoking and vaping. When it comes to looking at what device to use there’s a lot to consider - one of which being, how much does vaping cost?

Continue reading to discover all about the cost of vapes in the UK, and whether this smoke-free alternative is cheaper than continuing to smoke.

How Much Does Vaping Cost Per Year?

Prices can change depending on the vape you’re using, and the parts that come along with this.

Purchasing a rechargeable e-cigarette device is likely to be a one-off cost with the price varying for cheap vapes and premium vapes. There are also a few more costs to be expected for the e-liquid and battery, as well as tank and coil replacements - depending on the type of vape device. 

Some types of e-cigarettes, such as those with pod-based systems, do not require purchasing replacement tanks or coils individually, as these are integrated within the pods.

While we’ve just explored how much different types of devices might cost, here is a list of additional components that might factor into the overall price.  

Coil costs

Vape coils are often sold in packs, but you can buy single ones too. Some online retailers might sell a single coil for a few pounds, while packs of five might rise up to over £10. Vapes are compatible with specific types of coils, so the cost for these will also be affected by the device you use, and the coils you can use with it. 

Vape coils generally don’t last forever, and you might find yourself having to replace them every couple of weeks. If your vape uses replaceable coils, it’s useful factoring the price of these as part of your overall vaping expenses.

E-liquid costs

E-liquid prices can also vary. You might be able to buy 10ml bottles of e-liquid for just over £3, while 100ml bottles of shortfill e-liquids (e-liquids without nicotine) could cost upwards of £20 each.

The cost of e-liquid will also depend on your consumption patterns and whether you are using a refillable system or a pod-based system. These things all influence price. Premium e-cigarette liquids might cost more, and pre-filled pod prices vary depending on the amount purchased. 

How long a bottle of e-liquid will last you can depend on a few different factors - including your vape’s settings, and how much you use it. To give you an example, our pod based vape VEEV ONE uses pre-filled pods of e-liquid, and one VEEV ONE pod delivers up to 1000 puffs.* 

* Based on a puff duration of 1 second. May vary depending on individual usage patterns.

Vape starter kit cost

Some adult smokers who haven’t yet switched from continued smoking to vaping might be interested in a vape starter kit. These kits may include everything that you need such as the device, a tank or pod, coils, and different e-liquids.

A vape starter kit could cost under £10, but could equally also rise in cost depending on the device you’re opting for. For example, a VEEV ONE starter kit costs £8.99 at IQOS.com.

How Much Does a Rechargeable Vape Cost?

Rechargeable vapes could cost anything from under £10 to over £50 - depending on the device you go for. Here’s a comparison table to help you understand how the prices could vary between different devices.

Please note that the information in the table above reflects the general understanding of how much different vape devices cost. The actual price of a vape may vary depending on the product.

Learn more on the different types of vapes.

Typically, rechargeable devices might be more than a disposable vape costs - but only upfront. In the long-run, you might find that rechargeable vapes cost you less.

How Much Does Vaping Cost Compared to Smoking?

The cost of vaping can differ from that of smoking. While both products require different components to use, you can compare the average cost of smoking to what you might find when switching to vaping.

Is Vaping Cheaper than Smoking?

Vaping could cost you less than smoking, although this will depend on the device you use, the cigarettes you used to buy, and your consumption patterns.

In July 2024, the average cost for a pack of 20 cigarettes was £15.85.1 Meanwhile, a disposable vape could cost under £10. All this considered, if you replaced your usage of a 20 pack of cigarettes with one disposable vape, you could save over £5.

While there is an upfront cost to vaping when you purchase a vape (and any other required components), such as batteries, coils and tanks, vaping is typically more cost-effective than smoking in the long run. However, the cost of vaping compared to smoking depends on personal choices, such as the products preferred and usage.

What Other Differences Are There When Switching from Cigarettes to Vapes?

For adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, switching completely to vaping can be less harmful than smoking - depending on the device you’re using. This is because vapes do not involve combustion or burning (see burning tobacco), a process that produces smoke containing high levels of harmful chemicals.

Another difference you might find is the ability to customise your experience. There is a wide range of vapes and e-liquids available, offering a tailored experience based on your preferences.

Take VEEV ONE as an example of this. VEEV ONE emits on average 99% lower levels of harmful chemicals compared to cigarettes.* The VEEV ONE line also offers a range of different flavours pre-filled into its compatible pods, including classic tobacco, mint and fruity options.

Important information: this does not necessarily equal a 99% reduction in risk. VEEV ONE is not risk-free.

* 99% less” represents the average reductions in levels of a range of harmful chemicals (excluding nicotine) compared to the smoke of a reference cigarette. See Important Information on IQOS.com.

Ultimately though, the best option any smoker can make is to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether. Vaping is not risk-free, and many provide nicotine, which is addictive.
 

Smoke-free products are intended for use by adults who would otherwise continue to smoke or use nicotine products and are not intended as cessation devices. The best option to reduce the health risks associated with the use of tobacco and nicotine products is to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether.

Cost of Heat Not Burn vs Cigarettes

Other smoke-free alternatives to smoking cigarettes include devices that heat tobacco instead of burning it.

Switching to a suitable device that heats tobacco, like IQOS ILUMA, could be cheaper than continuing to smoke cigarettes. IQOS ILUMA uses TEREA tobacco sticks, and 20 TEREA tobacco sticks cost £6 RRP, less than half the average price of a pack of 20 cigarettes.* 

For further details on how the cost of cigarettes compares to IQOS, explore our IQOS price guide and cost savings calculator.

* Claim compares (i) the cost of smoking an average priced pack of cigarettes (with king size filter) per day, and (ii) the cost of buying an IQOS ILUMA ONE Starter Kit (RRP £29), and then consuming one pack of TEREA daily (RRP £6). In February 2024, the average price for a pack of cigarettes with king size filter was £15.45 (ONS data). Savings will vary depending on IQOS ILUMA model and Starter Kit selected. For further information, visit www.iqos.com/legal.  IQOS ILUMA™ is only compatible with TEREA™ sticks. Using TEREA™ sticks with previous IQOS™ generations may cause damage to your device. TEREA™ sticks contain a metal part; do not disassemble. Keep out of reach of children. 

Sources:

1 - Office of National Statistics, ‘RPI: Ave price - Cigarettes 20 king size filter’, https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/timeseries/czmp

Smoke-free products are not risk-free and provide nicotine, which is addictive. The best decision any adult smoker can make is to quit tobacco and nicotine use altogether. Smoke-free products are not alternatives to quitting and are not designed as cessation aids.

This article is for general information and educational purposes. Some of the information in this article is based on external, third-party sources and we make no representations or warranties of any kind regarding the accuracy, validity or completeness of such information.