Welcome to Fragrance Friday, where each week we’ll be keeping you abreast of the newest and most iconic releases in the dynamic world of men’s fragrances. Born out of the desire to showcase one of the most overlooked, yet versatile, elements of any discerning man’s style this weekly column will help you finesse your own signature scent.
It’s all well and good to really sink your toes into the world of niche perfumery, but it’s expensive as well. Brands like Amouage, Creed, Kilian and BDK charge hundreds of dollars for the privilege of building a quality signature scent. But don’t go thinking men’s perfume is a hefty investment all the time. There are quite a few great options out there if you’re looking for affordable men’s perfumes that play under (or at least around) a budget of $100.
I’ve pulled together six of my favourite affordable men’s fragrances, most of them well-known but some surprisingly flying under the radar. Some of them, like Dior Sauvage, might require you to compromise a bit when it comes to the size of the actual bottle, but if you’ve got a tight budget then you need to accept at least some sacrifice.
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Affordable Men’s Perfumes & Fragrances Under $100
Coach ‘Man’ EDT
Coach really dialled in one of the best affordable fragrances for men of the past decade with the woody aromatic profile of ‘Man.’ The Eau de Toilette was launched in 2017, a collaboration between perfumers Anne Flipo and Bruno Jovanovic who present a really sophisticated and satisfying blend of fruity notes like pear and grapefruit bridging over to spicy cardamom and coriander before dipping down to a slightly restrained woody base that wears close to the skin.
You can often find this one for under $100 but when it’s not on sale you’re looking at $101. That’s close enough to qualify Coach ‘Man EDT’ for this list of the best affordable men’s perfumes.
Top notes: Pear, kumquat, bergamot, lavender, grapfruit
Middle notes: Cardamom, geranium, coriander
Base notes: Ambergris, suede, amberwood, Haitian vetiver
Paco Rabanne ‘1 Million Lucky’ EDT
Paco Rabanne still has one of the best-selling fragrances of the modern age with ‘1 Million Lucky,’ a woody fragrance that was refined and reimagined in 2018 by perfumer Natalie Gracia-Cetto. For many men around the world, it’s possibly the single best affordable fragrance of the past few years, and while that’s certainly up for debate it’s also tough to argue against.
Those gorgeous plum and grapefruit notes on the top help build up a really fresh, pleasant profile before dipping a bit deeper with nutty notes like hazelnut blended with the sweetness of honey, cedar and cashmere. On the base you’ve got the usual suspects of amberwood, patchouli, oakmoss and vetiver to bring it home with style. It’s a great option when you’re looking for affordable men’s perfumes.
Top notes: Plum, ozonic notes, grapefruit, bergamot
Middle notes: Hazelnut, honey, cedar, cashmere wood, jasmine, orange blossom
Base notes: Amberwood, patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver
Moschino ‘Toy Boy’ EDT
Highly underrated when it comes to good quality affordable men’s perfumes is Moschino’s Toy Boy.’ A surprise when it was released in 2019 and still something that deserves more attention. The designer market likes to play it safe when it comes to fragrances, but Moschino took some appreciated bold moves here with creative director Jeremy Scott commissioning perfumer Yann Vasnier for a unique woody spicy profile.
You’ve got pink pepper, pear and a lovely Indonesian nutmeg on the top although they all whisp away quite quickly to make room for magnolia, clove, flax and a prominent rose note that could be a bit too strong for some blokes. It isn’t cloying though, especially when the base kicks in with a lot of sandalwood, amber and Haitian vetiver.
You’ll typically find Moschino ‘Toy Boy’ for a bit over $100 but often Chemist Warehouse throws it up on sale for around $90. Right now, you can find it for cheap on Amazon.
Top notes: Italian bergamot, green pear, elemi, pink pepper, Indonesian nutmeg
Middle notes: Magnolia, rose absolute, clove bud, flex flower
Base notes: Haitian vetiver orpour, cashmerean, sandalwood, ambermax, musk
Viktor&Rolf ‘Spicebomb’ EDT
Viktor & Rolf ‘Spicebomb’ is often one of the first ones that pop up when you’re looking for the best men’s perfumes under $100. That’s no mistake; what Olivier Polge achieved with this very warm, spicy and intensely likeable fragrance is nothing short of impressive given the price point.
Launched in 2012, Viktor&Rolf ‘Spicebomb’ makes great use of its opening, all fuming with pink pepper and elemi blended nicely with bergamot and grapefruit before morphing into this really spicy profile of cinnamon, saffron and paprika. It’s the middle that sticks around for the longest here, blanketing the woody base and living up to the perfume’s name as the profile sinks into tobacco, leather and vetiver notes.
Top notes: Pink pepper, elemi, bergamot, grapefruit
Middle notes: Cinnamon, saffron, paprika
Base notes: Tobacco, leather, vetiver
Dior ‘Sauvage’ EDT
By now you should be very familiar with Sauvage if you’re in the market for affordable men’s perfumes. You’ve no doubt seen the billboards plastered all over the world with the face of the men’s perfume, Johnny Depp. Even before the Johnny Depp vs Amber Herd defamation case, Dior was reportedly selling one bottle every three seconds. This now makes Dior Sauvage the best-selling perfume of all time. And it’s not without reason.
While Dior Sauvage Elixir is the newer, stronger version, if you’re on a budget it doesn’t feel like a compromise going for the Eau de Toilette. Perfumer Francois Demachy leans hard on a juicy, fresh version of bergamot for the standout note in this pleasant profile, making it work well with pepper for the opening before seamlessly doubling down on spice with Sichuan pepper and then bringing out the freshness of lavender, cedar and labdanum.
Top notes: Calabrian bergamot, pepper
Middle notes: Sichuan pepper, lavender, pink pepper, vetiver, patchouli, geranium, elemi
Base notes: Ambroxan, cedar, labdanum
Giorgio Armani ‘Code’ EDT
While Acqua di Gio, which celebrates 25 years in 2022, maybe the best-recognised name from Giorgio Armani’s considerable fragrance line, no one should overlook what the designer house has done with Code. And although the house plays it fairly safe with Giorgio Armani ‘Code,’ this is one incredibly versatile everyday perfume that can be adapted for almost every occasion, whether that’s as a casual office fragrance or an upscale dinner fragrance.
Top notes: Lemon, bergamot
Middle notes: Star anise, olive blossom, guaiac wood
Base notes: Leather, tonka bean, tobacco
Men’s Affordable Perfumes – Frequently Asked Questions
What are some great men's perfumes under $100
If you’re on a budget, some of the best men’s perfumes under or around $100 include Viktor&Rolf Spicebomb, Dior Sauvage and Giorgio Armani Code.
What is the difference between an EDT and EDP?
EDT stands for Eau de Toilette and is slightly weaker in concentration than an EDP, which stands for Eau de Parfum. If you’re looking for affordable men’s perfumes then you’ll usually find that they are all Eau de Toilettes.
