Instantly convert your Air Quality Index (AQI) into cigarette smoking equivalents. Understand exactly how much air pollution you're breathing — and what it's doing to your health.
Based on PM2.5 research · AQI smoking equivalent · Air pollution cigarette calculator
Calculate My AQI RiskEnter your city's AQI value below to see the equivalent cigarettes per day
⚠️ For educational awareness only. Not a medical diagnosis. Based on PM2.5 health impact research.
The Air Quality Index is a government-standardized scale that tells you how clean or polluted the air is around you — and what health effects might follow.
| AQI Range | Category | Cigarette Equiv. |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 50 | Good | ≈ 0.5 – 1 cig |
| 51 – 100 | Moderate | ≈ 1 – 2 cigs |
| 101 – 150 | Unhealthy for SG | ≈ 2 – 3.5 cigs |
| 151 – 200 | Unhealthy | ≈ 3.5 – 5 cigs |
| 201 – 300 | Very Unhealthy | ≈ 5 – 7 cigs |
| 301 – 500 | Hazardous | ≈ 7 – 10+ cigs |
The connection between air pollution and cigarette smoking isn't metaphorical — it's rooted in PM2.5 particulate matter research. Both cigarette smoke and polluted air deposit fine particles deep into lung tissue.
Research by Berkeley Earth and public health institutions estimates that every 22 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³) of PM2.5 over a 24-hour period is roughly equivalent to the lung impact of smoking one cigarette.
Our AQI to cigarette calculator uses this approximation formula to translate abstract AQI numbers into something immediately understandable — cigarettes per day. This is the AQI smoking equivalent you need to make sense of air pollution risk.
PM2.5 ≈ AQI × 0.37 μg/m³
Approximate PM2.5 from standard AQI linear scale
Cigs = PM2.5 ÷ 22
Based on Berkeley Earth research: 22 μg/m³ ≈ 1 cigarette/day
Cigs/day = (AQI × 0.37) ÷ 22
Simplified air pollution cigarette calculator formula
Make smarter decisions about outdoor activities, travel, and health precautions with instant air pollution risk awareness.
Get your AQI smoking equivalent in under a second. No signup, no wait, no server calls — pure client-side calculation.
Built on PM2.5 particulate research from Berkeley Earth and WHO air quality guidelines for credible estimates.
AQI numbers are abstract. Cigarette equivalents make the health risk tangible and immediately actionable.
Know if it's safe to jog, let kids play outside, or go cycling based on the cigarette-equivalent pollution level.
Works with AQI data from any city worldwide — whether from AirVisual, IQAir, or your local government monitoring station.
No data collection. No tracking beyond standard analytics. Your health calculations stay on your device.
Everything you need to know about the AQI to cigarette calculator