The Costs of America’s Most Expensive Drugs
Below are the average costs in the United States of the most common drugs taken by people over 50, and the prices in Mexico for our most expensive drugs. They are packaged exactly as they are in the United States.
Do not believe propaganda about drug quality in Mexico. Drug manufacturing is highly regulated in Mexico. Do not be taken in by articles that would have you believe otherwise (I'm talking to you, WebMD). Check and make sure that any drugs you buy are made in Mexico, not China or India.
These prices were researched from Mexico, in Spanish. Google algorithms do searches according to your location. Fine for ordering a pizza, not so good when researching medical costs in other countries. This type of research is difficult in the U.S. without a VPN (Virtual Private Network), a tool that lets you choose your server location. E-mail me at kerryinmexico@gmail.com if you'd like me to research a drug not listed here.
If you are healthy, you may not realize what you could be up against financially should you need these drugs. Think ahead if considering a move to Mexico. Mexican insurance carriers do no accept preexisting conditions and usually there is a two-year wait on coverage for many of the most expensive diseases. In addition, it’s harder and expensive to get private coverage after age 64.
You will need at least a VISA Temporal to enroll with a Mexican private insurance company or a government sponsored plan. You will need to have a prescription from Mexican doctor to obtain many of these drugs, just like in the U.S.
Millions of Mexicans are covered by Mexico's government health plans. Mexico does what Medicare can’t: Negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for better pricing.
Drug Count Cost (based on exchange rate of 18 pesos to the dollar)
Actos - a diabetes drug - 30 $254 Mexico: $60 (Zactos)
Advair Diskus - an inhaler $49 Mexico:
Afinitor (cancer treatment) 30 $14,524 Mexico: $3,689
Albuterol Sulfate (asthma) 25 vials $15
Alimta (cancer treatment ) 1 vials 500 mg $3,027 Mexico: $1,018
Amlodipine Besy (blood pressure lowering) 30 $6
Ampyra (multiple sclerosis) 56 tablets $2,731 Mexico (fampyra): $922
Amoxicillin (Antibiotic) 30 $9
Aranesp (builds red blood cells) four syringes $1,569 Mexico: $216
Atorvastatin ca (Cholesterol lowering) 30 $11
Avastin (cancer treatment) per dose $55
Avonex (multiple sclerosis ) four syringes $6,750 Mexico: $1,367
Azithromycin (brand names include Z-Pak and Zithromax)
6 tablets $9
Benicar HCT (high blood pressure) 30 $187 Mexico:
Betaseron (multiple sclerosis) one kit $6,020 Mexico: $1,532
Bystolic sensipar (high blood pressu 30 $120
Byetta (Exenatide) (diabetes) $550/month Mexico:
Breo Ellipta (COPD) 30 $300 Mexico:
Blncyto (cancer) one month $3,878 Mexico:
Celebrex (arthritis) 30 $55
Cialis - ED 30 $138
Cyramza (cancer) one month $13,672 Mexico:
Combivent Respimat inhaler one inhaler $397 Mexico: $32
Copaxone - (multiple sclerosis) 30 syringes $1,953 Mexico: $1,416
Cosentyx (arthitis/skin) injectible $4,928 Mexico: $1,544
Crestor, a cholesterol-lowering statin drug 30 $195
Cubicin $473 Mexico: $118
Cymbalta (Clorhidrato de Duloxetina) 28 $90 Mexico: $37
Dexilant (heartburn) 30 $258 Mexico: $42 (Dexivant)
Diovan (high blood pressure ) 30 $18
Desmopressin (Minirin) (diabetes) $134 Mexico: $82
Divalproex (Sodium Valproate) (epilepsy) 40 $27 Mexico: $6
Eliquis $50
Mexico: $39
Enbrel (arthritis) one carton $2,246 Mexico: $592
Entresto (heart) 1 month $360 Mexico: $115
Epogen, an injectable anemia drug four vials $148. 00
Erbitux (cancer) per ampula $1,274 Mexico: $424
Eucrisa (atopic dermatitis) $649 Mexico:
Evista (osteoporosis) 30 $50
Exelon patch (stroke) 30 $725 Mexico: $124
Flomax (tamsulosin) - incontinence one month $15
Flomax tecfidera (multiple sclerosis) one month $5,320 Mexico: $2,527
Flovent HFA - inhaler inhaler $220
Gilenya - (multiple sclerosis) one month $5,300 Mexico: $3,076
Gleevec (leukemias) 30 $3,600 Mexico: $2,106 (Glivec)
Glucophage (metformin), a diabetes drug 60 $3
Herceptin (breast cancer) a month $4,500 Mexico: $2,445
Humira (Crohn's disease) one carton $3,000 Mexico: $543 dollars
Ibrulim (cancer)
Mexico: $8,773
Invokana (diabetes)
Hydrochlorothiazide (blood pressure) 30 $5
Hydrocodone/acetaminophen - pain killer 30 $10
Invega Sustenna (schizophrenia) one syringe $2,100 Mexico: $337
Imatitanib mesylate (cancer) (Glivec) $8,800/yr = $488/mo Mexico: $621 for 10 capsules
Janumet (diabetes ) 30 $ 181 Mexico: $23
Jardiance (diabetes) 30 $529 Mexico:
Lantus Solostar - diabetes 30 $454 Mexico: $97
Lanoxin (congestive heart failure) 30 $30
Latuda - bipolar disorder 30 $1,389 Mexico:
Levemir - diabetes one carton $417 Mexico: $131
Levalbuterol not found
Lenvima - cancer 60 $16,681 Mexico:
Levothyroxine - hypothyroidism 30 $10
Levothyroxine Sod (Hypothyroid) 30 $10
Lipitor, a cholesterol-lowering statin drug 30 $10
Lisinopril (Blood Pressure lowering) 30 $4
Lucentis - macular degeneration per dose (monthly) $2,000 Mexico: $1,046
Lunesta - sleep disorder 90 $9
Lupron (cancer) 1 month $1,642 Mexico: (Lucrin): $672
Lyrica - epilepsy, diabetes 60
Metformin HCL (Diabetes) 60 $6
Metoprolol - (high blood pressure) 30 $4
Mesalamine (mesalazina) (colitis) 60 $345 Mexico: (called Salofalk): $30
Namenda (Alzheimers ) 30 $360 Mexico:
Nasonex (allergies ) 30 $58
Neulasta (anti-infection/cancer ) one syringe $5,000 Mexico: $1,828
Naproxin 30 $80
Neupogen - anti infection/cancer one syringe $350 Mexico: $294
Nexium (heartburn ) 30 $90
Norvasc (amlodipine besylate), an angina/blood pressure drug 30 $6
Novolog Flexpen one carton $310 Mexico: $29
Omeprazole RX ulcer 30 $9
Olanzapine (bipolar/mental) $215 Mexico: $21
Orencia (rheumatoid arthritis) one injection $1,100 Mexico: $902
Otezla (arthritis) $3,446 Mexico:
Pradaxar (anti-stroke) 60 $426 Mexico: $173
Praluent (cholesterol ) 2 pens $1,120 Mexico: (Repatha) $639
Premarin - one month $151
Prevnar 13 9 (pneumonia) one syringe $170 Mexico:
Procardia 30 $15
Prilosec (omeprazole), an antacid drug 30 $8
Pristiq (depression) 30 $306 Mexico: $45
Procrit - (anemia) per injection $800 Mexico:
Prozac (depression) 15 $242 Mexico: $47
Prolia (arthritis) per injection $ 1,300 Mexico: $512
Remicade (Crohn's disease) 1 vial $1,160
Mexico: $820 (100 ml)
Renvela (chronic kidney disease) 90 $1,599 Mexico: $259 (Renegel)
Repatha (cholesterol) monthly $777 Mexico: $328
Rituximab - (arthritis) two infusions $ Mexico: $973
Sandostatin LAR acromegaly, carcinoid tumors, and Cushing's syndrome $2,963 Mexico: $230
Sensipar (chronic kidney disease) 30 $850 Mexico (Mimpara?)
Sertraline
Seroquel XR (depression) 30 $15
Simvastatin (cholesterol/Zocar) 30 $6
Singulair, an oral asthma drug/ Montelukast
30 $10
Simponi (arthritis) $4,873 Mexico: $1,362
Sovaldi - Hep C full 12-week treatment $84,000 Mexico: $908
Spiriva Handihaler emphysema and chronic bronchitis.one inhaler (1 mo) $286 Mexico: $53
Sprycel (cancer) 60 $7,487 Mexico: $3,634
Stelara - (arthritis) $22,000-55,000/yr $2,000-4,000 Mexico: $3,722
Strattera - ADHD 30 $421 Mexico: $84
Symbicort (asthma ) one inhaler $240 Mexico: $48
Synthroid (hypothyroidism ) 30 $40 Mexico: $20
Synthroid synthetic thyroid hormone 30 $45 Mexico: $20
Tagrisso (cancer) $12,700/mo
Talz (skin condition) $5,950 Mexico: $1,500
Tarceva - (cancer ) one month $2,848 Mexico: 3,037 (surprise!)
Tecfidera (multiple sclerosis ) 60 $5,320 Mexico: $2,458 (56)
Treanda - (lymphoma) one treatment $8,680 Mexico:
Trulicity (diabetes) $410 Mexico:
Velcade - (cancer) one month $4,000- $8,000 Mexico: $1,293
Vasotec - (hypertension) 30 $15
Ventolin HFA - asthma one inhaler $60
Vesicare - overactive bladder 30 $366 Mexico: $40 (20)
Victoza 2-Pak (diabetes ) 2 pens $354 Mexico: $140
Vytorin - (cholesterol) 30 $365 Mexico: $56
Welchol - (heart disease and stroke) (colesevalem) 1 month $161 Mexico:
Xarelto (stroke) 30 $446 Mexico: $101
Xeloda (cancer ) 120 $1,900 Mexico: $3,000
Xeljanz (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ulcerative colitis)
60 $4,686 Mexico: $1,016
Xgeva - (osteoporosis ) one vial $2,323 Mexico: $557
Xolair (asthma) one vial $1,085 Mexico: $513
Zytiga (cancer) 120 (3 mo) $9,817 Mexico: $3,494
Zocor (cholesterol) 30 $7
Zostavax - shingles one vial $215
Zydelig - (leukemia) 60 $8,900 Mexico:
Zykadia - (cancer) one $11,428 Mexico:
Zytiga (prostate cancer) 120 $10,690 Mexico: $3,494
Zoloft (depression) 30 $11