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Cannabis Around The World
Cannabis Prices Around The World
If you're a seasoned cannabis user, the cost of weed has probably changed since you started smoking. A range of factors influence the price of a gram of bud, including legalization, economic surges and shrinkages, and the local proliferation of black markets. Keep reading to get an idea of the cost of weed worldwide.
How much do you pay for a gram of weed? Depending on where you live in the world, your answer to this question might differ massively from others. On top of this, weed prices in a given state or country are subject to change depending on the local economy and other factors. Below, you’re going to discover the average prices for a gram of weed across the planet, from Tokyo to Zimbabwe.
Contents:
What Is the Average Price of Weed?
If you’ve travelled much, you’ll know that the prices of basic items and services, from food to transport, can vary considerably depending on a country’s economy. Take a cup of coffee, for example. In Denmark, you can expect to shell out 40.25 Danish krone (€5.40) for a regular cappuccino, whereas the same drink will cost you just €1.60 in Italy.
The same principle applies to cannabis. The cost of a gram of weed ebbs and flows within specific countries, and between nations, depending on a host of different variables. Production costs, supply and demand, inflation, legality, and other factors all influence the price of cannabis. So, while we can't give an overarching answer to this question, we can provide the average costs in specific countries.
What Affects the Price of Weed?
Cannabis is yet to have the status of a commodity. Unlike raw materials such as gold, rubber, and oil, and agricultural products including corn, wheat, and coffee, cannabis lacks the standardisation required to make it interchangeable with other goods and therefore tradable on exchanges. While groups such as ASTM International are working on the standardisation of hemp and cannabis, factors that influence the price of commodities also apply to the cost of weed. The primary variables that influence the price of a gram of marijuana include:
- Production costs
- The expenses linked to the cultivation, processing, and distribution of cannabis all impact its local price. Factors including labour, equipment, and utilities such as water and energy all play a role. Compliance with local regulations can also increase the costs of production.
- Supply and demand
- The fundamental economic theory of supply and demand dictates that the availability of a product, and its appeal to consumers, directly impacts the price. The supply of cannabis is often higher in countries without prohibition, resulting in lower costs. Environmental factors such as drought and crop diseases also reduce the supply of weed and increase its price.
- Economic environment
- Economic conditions, such as inflation and exchange rates, and the strength of the local currency, can also impact the cost of marijuana. Strong economies are often linked with higher prices, whereas weaker economies with less circulating money force sellers to lower their prices.
- Legalization, taxes, and regulation
- In countries and states that have legalized cannabis, local authorities impose a tax in order to increase revenue and regulate products. These fees influence the retail price for the consumer.
- Prohibition
- Cannabis prohibition gives rise to black markets that set the price for a gram of marijuana. Economic factors such as cultivation, labour, and distribution play a role. However, prices are often raised artificially because of the added risk of prosecution. Black market prices are also higher because of a general lack of supply compared to flourishing legal economies.
Where Is Marijuana Cheapest in the World?
The cannabis industry continues to grow from strength to strength. Its current global value of $64.7 billion in 2024 is predicted to swell to $75 billion by 2029. This growth has equated to surges in supply in some areas, resulting in decreased prices. However, countries affected by prohibition sometimes enjoy cheaper weed, partly because taxes and expensive regulatory procedures that raise costs aren’t in place.
Assessing the costs of cannabis across the world proves a tricky task. Thankfully, the Cannabis Global Price Index of 2023[2] has provided a clear picture of the least expensive and most expensive locations to buy cannabis. This data set collates prices from 140 cities worldwide using crowdsourced city-level polls, adjusted to data from the UNODC World Drug Report 2022, to figure out the average price per gram. Continue reading to discover the cheapest weed in Europe, the United States, Africa, and Asia.
Europe
Cannabis prices in Europe are, on average, much more expensive than elsewhere in the world. While recreational cannabis remains largely illegal, production costs and demand are elevated. However, some countries stand out as exceptions to the rule. While recreational cannabis is not legal in Spain, the country has decriminalised cultivation for personal use. This has caused an increase in supply, while the option to grow at home has decreased the demand for black market cannabis. Go to Madrid and you can expect to pay just €6.33 for a gram of weed.
The United Kingdom ranks as the second-cheapest location for cannabis in Europe. The herb remains illegal to cultivate, yet supply is high, with an annual black market worth around £2.6 billion[3]. The city of Chesterfield has the lowest price of £5.81 per gram, followed by Erdington at £5.89 per gram, and Yeovilton at £5.96 per gram.
Slovenia comes in third place regarding the cheapest weed in Europe. Medical cannabinoid products are legal in the country, and the government has decriminalised the personal use of cannabis. A gram of weed will set you back €8.47 in the capital of Ljubljana and €8.57 in the second-largest city of Maribor.
USA
While cannabis is federally prohibited in the United States, sweeping cannabis legalization at the state level has resulted in a surge in both supply and demand. With a predicted market value of $45 billion[4] by 2025, the emerging cannabis industry in the country has received huge amounts of investment and created countless jobs. While cannabis remains fairly expensive in some states, it has some of the cheapest prices in the world in others.
As the ninth-cheapest destination in the world to buy weed, you can grab a gram in the city of Portland, Oregon for just $7—sometimes even less! Denver, Colorado, ranks as the second cheapest city for weed, where a gram will cost you $7.80. In third place, weed users in Los Angeles, California, can procure a gram at their local dispensary for as little as $8.30.
Asia & Africa
Cannabis prices in Asia are some of the highest in the world, whereas the herb costs almost nothing in some African nations. In both Zambia and Malawi, low demand and production costs mean a gram will have set you back just $0.2[5] in 2019. Prices are slightly higher in Ghana ($0.8) and Zimbabwe ($1).
Prices of cannabis in Asia are generally much lower than in the West, but higher than those in Africa. A gram of weed in Jakarta, Indonesia, costs around $3.38. Weed prices in Thailand vary, with locally grown strains clocking in at an average of $9 per gram[6] and imported flowers at $4.50–5.30 per gram. Finally, Bangalore, India boasts cheap illegal weed priced at just $6 per gram.
Where Is Marijuana Most Expensive in the World?
On the other side of the coin, market factors in certain countries and states have produced some of the most expensive weed in the world. But where would you find this costly chronic?
Europe
Europe generally has some of the most expensive cannabis prices in the world. Dublin, Ireland ranks as the second-most expensive location in the world to buy cannabis. In this city, where cannabis is illegal, you’ll have to shell out €20.95 ($22.50) for a gram.
Tallinn, the capital of the Baltic nation of Estonia, stands as the second-most expensive region for cannabis in Europe; expect to spend $20.60 on a gram.
In third place, citizens and visitors of Stavanger, Norway have to part with €19.39 to obtain a gram. Prices in the capital of Oslo aren’t far behind, coming in at €18.73 per gram.
USA
Paradoxically, the United States ranks as one of the most and least expensive places to buy cannabis; it all depends on the state economy. A gram of legal cannabis will cost you $19.10, $18.20, and $13 in Washington DC, Seattle, and New York, respectively.
Asia & Africa
Asia tops the charts when it comes to the most expensive places to buy weed. The illegal status of cannabis in Japan and its low supply mean that Tokyo has the highest marijuana prices in the world, clocking in at an eye-watering $33.80 for a single gram.
Cannabis use is decriminalised in Israel, but the country possesses over 137,000 members[7] in its medical cannabis programme. In the city of Rishon LeTsiyon, a gram of weed will set you back around $21. In the Turkish city of Uskudar, a gram of illegal cannabis costs $16.30.
On the African continent, Lesotho sits in first place when it comes to the priciest weed, with one gram costing $11.90. South Africa sits in second place with a cost of $8.50 per gram. In third place, an average gram of cannabis in Morocco sells for $8.17. These prices are cheap compared to Western countries, but much higher than those in Zambia and Malawi.
How Has Legalization Affected Weed Prices?
Overall, cannabis legalization has affected weed prices in a way that benefits consumers. The data shows that legalization correlates to an average price per gram drop of 11.13%. Many variables increase the price of cannabis in legal markets, but a surge in supply certainly plays an important role. Demand for cannabis also increases the supply, oftentimes to a surplus, causing prices to drop. Indeed, countries with a high cannabis consumption rate are 30% more likely to experience low gram prices.
Black Market Weed Prices
Black markets have an impact on the price of weed in both legal states and countries as well as those still under prohibition. In legal countries, black market operatives strategically undercut the price of their lawful competitors, making their products more attractive to consumers. Plus, they can afford to charge lower prices because they don’t pay taxes, licensing fees, or adhere to regulations. This can cause legal outlets to lower their prices in response.
Unregulated black market growing and distribution operations are typically large, allowing operatives to benefit from economies of scale, the reduction in per-unit costs achieved by increased output, allowing them to offer lower prices. On top of this, they also profit from cross-border trafficking. Producing in areas with lower production costs results in cheaper weed. Purchasing cannabis in a state with low gram prices also drives some black marketeers to resell these products at a profit in states with a higher cost per gram.
Finally, the lack of quality control allows black market growers to save a lot of cash during cultivation. Using banned agricultural chemicals and syphoning off the energy grid drastically cut production costs.
How Much Does Weed Cost Where You Live?
As you can see, weed prices vary drastically across different countries. But borders aren’t the only factor that causes cannabis costs to fluctuate. Everything from the ebbs and flows of supply and demand to poor growing seasons impact the price of a gram of weed. So, how do things look where you live? Share with us whether you benefit from low cannabis prices or are subject to some of the highest costs in the world of weed!
External Resources:
- https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_price_rankings?itemId=114
- This Is How Much Weed Costs in 140 Cities Across the World https://cfah.org
- UK’s illicit cannabis market worth £2.5bn a year, finds new report — Institute of Economic Affairs https://iea.org.uk
- Cannabis sales projections for US markets in 2025 https://www.headset.io
- Average cost per gram of cannabis, by country Africa 2019 | Statista https://www.statista.com
- play https://www.aljazeera.com
- Reforms Set to Send Israeli Medical Cannabis Patient Numbers Soaring https://prohibitionpartners.com
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.
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