Semaglutide Cost: What It Actually Comes To
Semaglutide is the cheapest per milligram of the three major GLP-1 research compounds, and because its dose ladder also runs the lowest, the gap in monthly material cost is wider than the per-milligram figure suggests. This page breaks the cost down both ways, current as of September 2026.
These are prices for semaglutide supplied for laboratory research use, not for a prescription product. For the approved dose schedules and trial data see semaglutide dosing.
Semaglutide price per vial
| Vial size | Price | Cost per mg |
|---|---|---|
| 5mg | $24 | $4.80 |
| 10mg | $35 | $3.50 |
| 15mg | $45 | $3.00 |
Cost per milligram falls 38% moving from the 5mg vial to the 15mg vial.
Semaglutide cost in bulk
Wholesale kits of 10 vials are priced 20% below the equivalent single-vial cost, and the bulk range extends to 20mg and 30mg vials that are not sold singly:
| Kit | Kit price | Per vial | Cost per mg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 5mg | $192 | $19.20 | $3.84 |
| 10 × 10mg | $280 | $28.00 | $2.80 |
| 10 × 15mg | $360 | $36.00 | $2.40 |
| 10 × 20mg | $440 | $44.00 | $2.20 |
| 10 × 30mg | $540 | $54.00 | $1.80 |
At the bottom of that table semaglutide costs $1.80 per milligram, against $4.80 for a single 5mg vial — a 63% difference for the identical compound. Full range on the bulk semaglutide listing.
Semaglutide cost per month
Because material is priced per milligram, monthly cost depends entirely on how much is used. At the maintenance doses in the approved labels — 1.7mg, 2.4mg and the 7.2mg high dose approved in March 2026 — a four-week period represents 6.8mg, 9.6mg and 28.8mg of material respectively.
At the single 10mg vial rate ($3.50/mg) that is roughly $24, $34 and $101 of material per four weeks. At the bulk 30mg kit rate ($1.80/mg) it falls to roughly $12, $17 and $52. These are material costs only, for reference; they are not a recommendation to use any quantity.
This is where semaglutide separates from the rest of the category: a four-week 2.4mg equivalent is under $20 of material at bulk rates, against roughly $80 for tirzepatide at 15mg weekly.
How semaglutide compares on cost
Semaglutide is the cheapest of the three major GLP-1 research compounds per milligram:
| Compound | 10mg vial | Cost per mg | Receptor targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide | $35 | $3.50 | GLP-1 |
| Tirzepatide | $44 | $4.40 | GLP-1 + GIP |
| Retatrutide | $69 | $6.90 | GLP-1 + GIP + glucagon |
The per-milligram gap understates the difference in practice, because semaglutide’s dose ladder runs roughly a fifth of tirzepatide’s. Dose levels are not interchangeable between these compounds.
What drives the price
- Vial size. Cost per mg falls 38% from the 5mg vial to the 15mg vial, and further again on the bulk-only 20mg and 30mg sizes.
- Order quantity. Wholesale kits of 10 are priced 20% under the single-vial rate.
- Supply. Semaglutide is the most established compound in the category and supply is the steadiest of the three.
- Testing. Every lot here is HPLC and mass-spectrometry verified before release, which is a real cost and the thing to check before comparing any two quoted prices.
Semaglutide Cost — Frequently Asked Questions
How much does semaglutide cost?
From $24 for a 5mg vial up to $45 for a 15mg vial, which works out to $4.80 down to $3.00 per milligram. Wholesale kits of 10 vials bring it as low as $1.80 per milligram.
What is the cheapest way to buy semaglutide?
Cost per milligram falls with both vial size and order quantity, so the lowest unit cost is a wholesale kit of the largest vial size — the 30mg kit at $1.80 per milligram.
Why is semaglutide cheaper than tirzepatide and retatrutide?
It is a single-receptor GLP-1 agonist with a simpler synthesis and the most established supply chain of the three. Per milligram it runs about 20% below tirzepatide and about half of retatrutide.
Is semaglutide covered by insurance?
The prescription products Ozempic and Wegovy may be, depending on the plan and indication. Material supplied here is not a prescription product — it is supplied for laboratory research use only and is not covered by insurance.
Prices current as of September 2026 and subject to change. All products are supplied for laboratory research use only and are not for human consumption.