A 1-gram THC vape cartridge costs $30 to $60 at a licensed US store before tax. A 0.5-gram cartridge costs $20 to $35. Price depends on state, tax rate, oil type, and potency. Unlicensed sellers charge less. That oil carries risk.
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Price by cartridge size and oil type
- 0.5 g distillate: $20 to $35
- 1 g distillate: $30 to $50
- 1 g live resin: $45 to $75
- 1 g rosin: $60 to $100
- 2 g disposable or cartridge: $50 to $90
These ranges come from menu listings in states with legal adult-use sales. A store in a high-tax city sits above them. A store in a state with surplus supply sits below.
What moves the price
- Potency. Oil at 85% THC uses more concentrate per gram than oil at 70%.
- Extraction. Live resin and rosin cost more to make than distillate.
- Hardware. Ceramic and glass carts cost more than plastic.
- Testing. Full panel lab tests add cost per batch.
- Taxes. State excise tax applies at retail in most legal markets.
Cost per milligram of THC
Cost per mg tells you more than sticker price. A 1 g cart at 80% THC holds 800 mg of THC. At $40, that is 5 cents per mg. A second cart at 70% THC holds 700 mg. At $35, that is also 5 cents per mg. The cheaper cart is not cheaper per unit of THC.
Tax adds to the sticker
Washington charges a 37% excise tax on retail cannabis sales. Colorado charges a 15% excise tax at wholesale plus state and local sales tax. A $40 cart in Washington with 37% excise comes to $54.80 before local sales tax. Add tax before you compare two stores.
Where prices run lower
Markets with many licensed growers and years of legal sales run lower. Markets with few licensed growers and a new launch run higher. Distance from a production site adds freight cost. Store size and volume change the margin.
Checklist before you buy
- Total THC in mg on the label, not just percentage.
- Batch test date and the lab name.
- Ingredient list. Oil and terpenes only.
- No vitamin E acetate. The CDC tied it to the 2019 lung injury outbreak.
Prices change by batch and by season. Ask the store for the current menu and confirm the tax total at checkout.