There were definitely "expensive" cigarettes and "cheap" cigarettes. It wasn't uncommon for my parents/their friends to go back and forth between a few brands as their fortunes changed.
I worked in a small kiosk in the late 80's. Most cigarettes were the same price, but Camels were quite a bit more expensive (25% or so as I recall.)
Our target market was, how shall I put it, price sensitive. The Camels weren't terribly popular :)
They were also very strong and flavorful. Not something that a lot of people could handle.
I remember Pall Mall and L&M as the cheaper brands. Maybe they weren’t in your area?