Updated October 2026
A standard vodka tonic has about 140 to 160 calories. The vodka contributes about 97 calories per 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof vodka. The tonic contributes the rest: regular tonic water has about 130 calories per 12 ounces, so the 4 to 6 ounces in a typical drink adds roughly 43 to 65 calories and 11 to 16 grams of sugar. Switch to diet tonic and the drink drops to about 97 calories; switch to soda water and you get the same number with no sugar at all.
Vodka Tonic Calories, Broken Down
| Ingredient | Amount | Calories | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vodka, 80 proof (40% ABV) | 1.5 oz | About 97 | 0 g |
| Regular tonic water | 4 oz | About 43 | About 11 g |
| Regular tonic water | 6 oz | About 65 | About 16.5 g |
| Lime wedge | 1 wedge | About 2 | Trace |
| Total (6 oz regular tonic) | About 164 | About 17 g |
Tonic figures are based on a leading US brand’s label of 130 calories and 33 grams of sugar per 12 fluid ounces. Brands vary, so check your bottle.
Why Tonic Has So Many Calories
Tonic water looks like soda water, but it is a sweetened soft drink. Quinine gives tonic its bitter edge, and manufacturers add sugar or high-fructose corn syrup to balance that bitterness. Ounce for ounce, regular tonic carries a similar amount of sugar to many regular sodas. That surprises a lot of people who order a vodka tonic thinking it is a light choice.
How to Make a Lighter Vodka Tonic
| Drink (1.5 oz vodka + 6 oz mixer) | Approximate calories | Sugar |
|---|---|---|
| Vodka + regular tonic | About 162 | About 16.5 g |
| Vodka + “light” tonic | About 120 | About 7 g |
| Vodka + diet or zero-sugar tonic | About 97 | 0 g |
| Vodka + soda water (vodka soda) | About 97 | 0 g |
“Light” tonics vary. One widely sold premium light tonic lists 20 calories and 6 grams of sugar per 5-ounce can, so about 24 calories per 6 ounces. Diet tonics use non-nutritive sweeteners and add essentially no calories. For more low-sugar ideas, see our list of low-calorie vodka drinks and what sodas mix with vodka.
Other easy ways to cut calories:
- Go half and half. Use 3 ounces tonic and 3 ounces soda water to keep the bitter flavor with half the sugar.
- Use a smaller pour of tonic. A taller glass with more ice and less mixer still tastes balanced.
- Add fresh citrus. A generous squeeze of lime adds flavor for almost no calories.
Where the Vodka Calories Come From
Plain vodka contains no carbohydrates, fat or protein. Its calories come almost entirely from alcohol, which carries about 7 calories per gram. A 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof vodka contains about 14 grams of alcohol, which works out to roughly 97 calories. Stronger vodka has more calories per shot: a 100-proof vodka comes to about 124 calories per 1.5 ounces.
Flavored vodka can carry more, if it includes added sugar. Read do flavored vodkas have sugar to learn how to tell.
How a Vodka Tonic Compares
| Drink | Approximate calories |
|---|---|
| Vodka soda (1.5 oz vodka + soda water) | About 97 |
| Vodka tonic (1.5 oz vodka + 6 oz regular tonic) | About 162 |
| Gin and tonic (1.5 oz 80-proof gin + 6 oz regular tonic) | About 162 |
| Light beer, 12 oz (example: Bud Light) | 110 |
A gin and tonic has the same calories as a vodka tonic at the same proof. Note that many popular gins are bottled above 80 proof, which adds a few calories.
How Strong Is a Vodka Tonic?
A vodka tonic made with 1.5 ounces of 80-proof vodka contains one US standard drink of 14 grams of alcohol. Tonic adds no alcohol. A double, with 3 ounces of vodka, contains two standard drinks and about 194 calories from the vodka alone. For more on serving math, see how many shots of vodka it takes to feel the effects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a vodka tonic low calorie?
Not with regular tonic. At around 160 calories, it is comparable to many other mixed drinks. With diet tonic or soda water it drops to about 97.
How much sugar is in a vodka tonic?
About 11 to 17 grams with 4 to 6 ounces of regular tonic, and none with diet tonic or soda water.
Is vodka soda healthier than vodka tonic?
It has fewer calories and no sugar, since soda water is just carbonated water.
Does lime add calories?
Only a couple per wedge, so it is a nearly free way to add flavor.
More in our Vodka Guide.
Sources
- Vodka, 80 proof, 1 jigger (1.5 fl oz): 97 calories, 0 g carbohydrate (nutrition database based on USDA data).
- Schweppes Tonic Water nutrition label: 130 calories and 33 g sugar per 12 fl oz (US retail listing).
- Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Tonic: 20 calories and 6 g sugar per 5.07 oz can (US retail listing).
- Bud Light: 110 calories per 12 oz (Anheuser-Busch).
- NIAAA: definition of a US standard drink (14 grams of pure alcohol).