Best Cigars Under $20: Cuban Options Worth Every Dollar

Several excellent Cuban cigars cost under $20 per stick when purchased by the box, and some of them genuinely rival cigars at twice the price. The Montecristo No. 4 at roughly $14 per cigar is the gold standard of affordable Cuban smoking, while brands like Jose L. Piedra and Quintero put genuine Habano tobacco in your hand for as little as $4 to $6 per stick. The idea that Cuban cigars all cost $30 or more is simply wrong. You just need to know where to look.

We went through our entire catalog, calculated the per-cigar cost from box pricing, and identified every Cuban cigar that comes in at or near the $20 mark. Here is what we found, ranked by overall value.

The Best Cuban Cigars Under $20 Per Stick

Montecristo No. 4 – The Benchmark (~$14/cigar)

The Montecristo No. 4 is not just the best Cuban cigar under $20, it is the best-selling Cuban cigar in the world, period. This petit corona (5″ x 42 ring gauge) delivers a perfectly balanced medium-bodied smoke with notes of cedar, toasted nuts, and a gentle creaminess that develops into light spice in the second third. Smoking time runs about 35 to 45 minutes, making it ideal for a lunch break or an after-dinner treat. A box of 25 runs approximately $350, putting each cigar at roughly $14.

Partagas Petit Coronas – Bold Flavor, Small Price (~$10/cigar)

If you want full-bodied Cuban flavor without the full-bodied price tag, the Partagas Petit Coronas is your cigar. Same petit corona format as the Montecristo No. 4 but with noticeably more punch: earthy, peppery, with leather and dark coffee notes. At approximately $10 per stick from a box of 25, this might be the best flavor-per-dollar ratio in all of Cuban production.

Romeo y Julieta Petit Coronas – Smooth and Accessible (~$10/cigar)

The Romeo y Julieta Petit Coronas offers a lighter, more approachable alternative at a similar price point. Medium body with floral notes, light cedar, and a sweetness on the finish that makes it particularly enjoyable before or after a meal. Winston Churchill was famously a Romeo y Julieta man, though he preferred the larger vitolas. At around $10 per cigar, this is a name-brand Cuban at a no-name price.

Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 – The Beginner’s Best Friend (~$13/cigar)

The Epicure No. 2 is the robusto (4.9″ x 50) that practically every tobacconist recommends to someone trying their first Cuban. Creamy, mild-to-medium, with flavors of hay, light wood, and a subtle sweetness that never gets aggressive. A box of 25 costs approximately $325, working out to about $13 per cigar. For the quality and the brand recognition, that is a steal.

Quintero Brevas – Genuine Cuban, Budget Price (~$5/cigar)

The Quintero Brevas is proof that you do not need to spend serious money to smoke real Habano tobacco. At roughly $5 per cigar from a box of 25, this short filler Cuban delivers a straightforward, medium-bodied smoke with grassy and woody notes. Is it a Cohiba? Obviously not. But it is an honest Cuban cigar at an honest price, and it has been a staple of Cuban domestic smoking for decades.

Jose L. Piedra Conservas – Cuba’s Everyday Smoke (~$4/cigar)

Jose L. Piedra Conservas are what Cuban workers actually smoke. At approximately $4 per cigar, this is the most affordable genuine Cuban cigar you can buy. Short filler tobacco, machine-bunched but hand-finished, with a rustic, earthy flavor profile. They are not refined, but they are real, and there is something satisfying about smoking the same cigar that a torcedor in the Partagas factory lights up at the end of his shift.

Fonseca Cosacos – The Overlooked Mild Cuban (~$7/cigar)

The Fonseca Cosacos comes wrapped in tissue paper, which immediately sets it apart visually. Inside that wrapper is a mild, creamy petit corona with delicate floral and hay notes. At around $7 per cigar, Fonseca is one of the most underrated marcas in Cuba’s portfolio. If you enjoy Connecticut shade wrapper cigars from Nicaragua or Honduras and want to try a similarly mild Cuban, start here.

Honorable Mentions (Just Over $20)

Two cigars sit just north of the $20 line and deserve a mention for anyone with slightly more flexibility in their budget:

• Cohiba Club (~$5/cigarillo) – Technically a cigarillo, not a cigar, but it puts the Cohiba name and blend in your hand for pocket change. Sold in tins of 20.
• Cohiba Panetelas (~$23/cigar) – The most affordable full-sized Cohiba. Just $3 over budget, but it delivers the genuine Cohiba triple-fermented experience in a slim 4.5″ x 26 format.

The Debate: Cuban vs. Non-Cuban Under $20

The Case for Cuban

Nothing tastes like Cuban tobacco. The terroir of the Vuelta Abajo region, the specific seed varieties (Criollo, Corojo, Habano), and decades of agricultural expertise produce a flavor profile that no other country has successfully replicated. Even a $5 Jose L. Piedra has that unmistakable Cuban twang: a slightly tangy, earthy undertone that Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Honduran tobaccos simply do not have. If you are a purist, or if you want the experience of smoking something genuinely from Cuba, there is no substitute at any price.

The Case for Non-Cuban

Here is the honest truth: at the sub-$20 price point, non-Cuban cigars from Nicaragua and Honduras often offer better construction, more consistent draws, and arguably more complex flavor profiles. A $12 Padron 3000 or a $10 Oliva Serie V Melanio are phenomenal cigars that would compete with Cuban smokes costing twice as much. Non-Cuban manufacturers also have access to aged, long-filler tobacco at this price, while many budget Cubans use short filler. If you care about construction and pure smoking experience more than provenance, the non-Cuban options are extremely compelling.

The Verdict

Both sides have merit. Our recommendation: try a box of Montecristo No. 4 and a box of your favorite non-Cuban in the same price range. Smoke them side by side over a few weeks. Your palate will tell you which direction to go, and there is no wrong answer. The best cigar under $20 is the one you enjoy most.

Quick Price Reference Table

• Jose L. Piedra Conservas – ~$4/cigar (Box of 25: ~$100)
• Quintero Brevas – ~$5/cigar (Box of 25: ~$125)
• Fonseca Cosacos – ~$7/cigar (Box of 25: ~$175)
• Partagas Petit Coronas – ~$10/cigar (Box of 25: ~$250)
• Romeo y Julieta Petit Coronas – ~$10/cigar (Box of 25: ~$250)
• Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 – ~$13/cigar (Box of 25: ~$325)
• Montecristo No. 4 – ~$14/cigar (Box of 25: ~$350)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest Cuban cigar?

The Jose L. Piedra Conservas is the most affordable Cuban cigar widely available, costing approximately $4 per stick when purchased by the box. Quintero Brevas come in at roughly $5 per cigar. Both use short filler tobacco but are genuine Habanos-certified Cuban cigars.

Are cheap Cuban cigars still good?

Yes, but expectations need to be calibrated. Budget Cubans like Jose L. Piedra and Quintero use short filler tobacco rather than long filler, which means a less refined draw and simpler flavor profile. However, they still use genuine Cuban-grown Habano tobacco, which gives them that distinctive Cuban flavor. The sweet spot for quality versus value is the $10 to $15 range, where cigars like the Montecristo No. 4 and Partagas Petit Coronas use long filler and deliver genuinely excellent smoking experiences.

How much does a box of Cuban cigars cost?

Cuban cigar boxes range dramatically in price. A box of 25 Jose L. Piedra Conservas costs approximately $100, while a box of 25 Cohiba Behike 56 can exceed $3,200. The most popular mid-range boxes, like the Montecristo No. 4 (25 count, ~$350) and the Partagas Serie D No. 4 (25 count, ~$400), offer the best balance of quality and affordability for most smokers.