Medically reviewed by: Thomas Fischer (Pharmacist). This article has been written according to strict guidelines and medical standards.
Medically reviewed by: Thomas Fischer (Pharmacist)
Back in 1989, a drug was developed by Pfizer that, worldwide, has and still is changing men’s lives forever. The drug, of course, is Viagra, also known as “The Little Blue Pill.” Viagra is the original anti erectile dysfunction medication. Though, it was not the intended purpose for which Viagra was researched.
Sildenafil citrate, Viagra’s chemical base, was initially researched by scientists Dr Albert Wood and Dr Peter Dunn. The chemical was studied and designed as a treatment for angina (chest pain) and hypertension. When testing started, however, the substance revealed its potential for treating sexual dysfunction.
Viagra combats ED symptoms through heightening the results of sexual arousal by opening the blood vessels of the phallus. This reaction causes increased blood flow to the phallus (penis), which allows for a lasting, firm erection. Original Viagra is available in three doses 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg. It is produced as a blue, diamond-shaped pill and is not available in another form or color. Viagra has to be taken by mouth at least thirty minutes before sexual intercourse. Its effect can last up to 5 hours.
For thirty-odd years this medication has been a miracle pill for millions of men worldwide. But, exactly, how much does Viagra cost? What is the Viagra price online?
How Much, In The United States, Does Viagra Cost?
Impotence is a reality. A man’s inability to function sexually affects his entire world. Impotence often results in men losing their self-worth. For these men, no price is too high if it means that they can regain their self-esteem. Pfizer’s Viagra became the answer to these men’s problems. It is the original erectile dysfunction medication and has become a brand recognized by everyone worldwide.
But, how much does Viagra cost, and is the price worth paying?
There is quite a difference in the cost of Viagra, purchased without a coupon, depending on the retail outlet you choose to buy from. Some of your more prominent outlets do offer coupons. These coupons do two things:
- It dramatically decreases the retail price
- Levels out the price difference between retail outlets.
Viagra sells for an estimated average price of $2187.21 ($72.91 per pill) for a month’s supply in the United States. However, this price fluctuates by the dosage of the tablet.
There is good news for consumers, though. Pfizer is losing the last of its patent rights on Viagra later this year. The loss of their patent rights will result in numerous new generic brands hitting the market. Pfizer will have no choice other than to bring down the price of Viagra, or they will lose their market share.
What Is The Best Price On Brand Viagra 100mg In The US?
The price of Viagra 100 mg for a month’s supply, in the US, can vary by up to $400.00, depending on your choice of retail outlet. For this reason, it is worth your time to shop around before you buy it. The current best price at traditional retail outlets and pharmacies, for Viagra 100 mg is $1919.68 for 30 tablets, which works out to $63.99 per pill.
By shopping online, however, you can save a tremendous amount of money on Viagra 100 mg. And, if you shop online, the more you buy, the more you save. After comparing fifteen online pharmacy’s, the best price for brand Viagra 100 mg is:
- Thirty-six tablets will cost $240.25 ($6.67 per tablet)
- Eighty-eight pills will cost $543.85 ($6.18 per pill)
Viagra Cost Per Pill - Is It Cheaper To Buy In Bulk?
As life will have it, most things are cheaper when bought in bulk. The difference in price per unit typically makes it worth your while to lay down a large sum of money up-front to save a reasonable amount of cash on that product in the long run.
With its high price, one would wish this to be the case with Viagra. Although you do save when you buy a more substantial amount once off, the saving is minimal and not worth the effort. An outline regarding the cost of Viagra per unit, when purchased in different quantities, follows below:
- Buying a single unit of Viagra will cost you on average $65.82
- If you are buying thirty pills, the immediate cost involved is on average $1919.74, which breaks down to $63.99 per pill
- Sixty pills cost approximately $3837.59, which works out to $63.96 per pill
- Purchasing one hundred and twenty once-off costs $7673.29, which comes down to $63.94 per unit.
Your saving on buying bulk Viagra pretty much stops there. It is clear from the above that the only time you really save some money is when you purchase thirty pills up-front as opposed to buying a single unit at a time. Purchasing a month’s supply of Viagra will save you approximately $54.90.
How Much, In US Dollars, Does Viagra Cost In Canada?
The cost of prescription medication and healthcare in Canada is much lower than that of the US. But what is the reason behind this? Canada’s healthcare system, called Medicare, grants all Canadian citizens that cannot afford healthcare insurance access to premium healthcare. A Canadian citizen that qualifies for Medicare can visit any private doctor. The state will then reimburse that doctor in full with the agreed-upon fee.
Because of Medicare, the Canadian government has implemented regulations that prevent big pharmaceutical companies from excessively overcharging its citizens. New regulations approved by the Canadian government, set to come into effect on the first of July 2020, will result in further cost reduction of prescription drugs.
The cost of prescription medication in Canada is between thirty-five and fifty-five percent cheaper than in the US. The price of erectile dysfunction medicine in Canada is highly dependent on the dosage and quantity that is purchased. Below is a summary of the average cost of Brand Viagra in Canada:
- 25 mg dose sells on average between $56.66 for four pills and $685.33 for eighty-eight pills. The cost per pill ranges between $7.99 and $14.17.
- 50 mg dose average price ranges between $57.54 for four pills and $831.21 for 88 tablets, which work out to be between $9.45 and $14.46 per tablet.
- 100 mg dose sells between an estimated $64.76 for four pills and $741.69 for 88 tablets, which, per unit, works out to be between $8.43 and $16.19.
Is There A Reason For Viagra Being So Expensive In The United States?
When large pharmaceutical companies develop new medication, they patent it. Patent rights do have an expiry date, but for as long as the patent is active, these companies have the sole right to produce that specific medication. Patent rights eliminate all competition for several years, which allows these companies to set the market price and gain phenomenal market share.
In the case of Viagra, when other pharmaceutical companies developed similar products, Cialis and later Levitra, the price was, economically spoken, supposed to come down. But it went the other way, leading to ludicrous increases in all three drugs.
According to a study conducted by Economists in the US, competition from similar drugs in the pharmaceutical world escalates the cost of branded prescription drugs. The Economists concluded that pharmaceutical companies coordinate their pricing and increase. If one company raises its price, the rest follow suit by doing precisely the same.
Health insurance further promotes the problem from shielding the consumer from the high prices and by making large sums of cash available for prescription payments. Fixed copayments neutralize the consumer’s motivation to use cheaper medication and eliminate the manufacturer’s capacity to gain market share through low-priced drugs. It also opens doors for manufacturers to raise their prices because Medicaid, Medicare, and private health insurance will pay their asking price.
Non-prescription drugs, on the other hand, are affordable and the pricing transparent to the consumer because people generally pay for it out of pocket. This system might be the solution to the predicament. If the same principle gets implemented on prescription drugs, people will insist on less expensive alternatives.
By encouraging people to pay for medication themselves, will force pharmaceutical companies to lower their prices to gain market share. To achieve this, though, existing arrangements, including coverage requirements, need to be replaced with more logical ones. And to replace these arrangements, drastic insurance, tax, and entitlement reforms are required.
Comparing The Price of Viagra To That Of Other Similar Drugs
Pharmaceutical companies have to date developed four different drugs to combat erectile dysfunction. All of these drugs work similarly, with only slight differences. These drugs are available under the following brand names:
- Viagra,
- Cialis,
- Levitra, and,
- Stendra.
All four of these drugs are commercially available, with a prescription, in the United States. But how does the pricing of these drugs compare?
Sildenafil based Viagra is available in 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100mg pills. The price of Viagra, however, remains the same, regardless of the dosage. The average selling price of Viagra is $1919.74 for thirty tablets, which works out to be $63.99 per pill.
Cialis, with Tadalafil as its base chemical, is obtainable in 20 mg, 10 mg, 5 mg, and 2.5 mg doses. The estimated cost for a month’s supply of 20mg Cialis is $2108.16 and $2107.83 for the 10 mg dose. The price works out to be $70.27 and $70.26 per pill, respectively. The 5 mg dose is much cheaper, selling at an average of $366.87 for thirty tablets, which is roughly $12.23 per pill.
Vardenafil sold as the brand Levitra is available in 20 mg, 10 mg, and 5 mg. Thirty of these will make your pocket lighter by $1564.31, which is an estimated $52.14 per pill, regardless of the dosage strength.
The latest addition to the market, the avanafil-based Stendra, comes in 50 mg, 100 mg, and 200 mg doses. Regardless of the strength, one month’s supply of Stendra will be an average expense of $1590.49 that works out to an estimated $53.02 per tablet.
So, in order, the cost for a month’s supply of ED meds in the USA, from least to most expensive is:
- Levitra - $1564.31, $52.14 per pill,
- Stendra - $1590.49, $53.02 per pill,
- Viagra - $1919.74, $63.99 per pill,
- Cialis - $2108.16, $70.27 per pill (This price does not include Cialis 5 mg dose, this is a daily use treatment).
Viagra is available in a generic version (as Sildenafil) that sells for a fraction of the original product. The generic version is definitely an alternative to consider. The estimated prices follow below:
- One month's supply of the 20 mg dose costs, on average, $17.67, which makes it $0.59 per pill.
- Thirty tablets of the 10 mg dose will cost you an estimated $18.07, which comes down to $0.60 per unit.
- The 5mg dose will cost an average of $18.00 for thirty days of use, which amounts to roughly $0.60 per tablet.
Average Online Price Of Viagra
The cost of Viagra online is much lower than that of the prices in conventional retail stores in the United States. By shopping for Viagra online, you can easily save upwards of eighty-five percent on the retail price. The price online is influenced by the dose and the quantity you purchase. The more you buy, the less you pay. The 100 mg dose is cheaper than the 50 mg and 25 mg doses.
Below is a brief breakdown of the estimated average online prices for Viagra:
- Viagra 25 mg sells for an average of $57.06 for four pills up to $808.00 for eighty-eight tablets. That works out to an average of $9.18 to $14.27 per pill, respectively.
- 50 mg Viagra will cost you, on average, between $54.53 for four tablets and $915.09 for eighty-eight. Respectively that's an average between $10.48 and $13.63 per unit.
- Buying the 100 mg dose of Viagra will result in an average expense between $50.12 for four pills and $819.00 for eighty-eight tablets. On average, it works out to be between $9.30 and $12.53, respectively, per tablet.
From the above pricing, one can only conclude that if you reside within the borders of the United States, buying Viagra online is by far the best option.
- “Sildenafil Citrate”. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Retrieved 29 July 2020. URL: drug.com
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. VIAGRA® (sildenafil citrate) Tablets. January 2020. URL: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/
- U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2015). Sildenafil. URL: medlineplus.gov