Ibuprofen Price: US vs UK
Ibuprofen (generic Ibuprofen) — average US Medicare Part D spend of $0.1169 per dose (calendar year 2024) vs a flat £9.90 NHS England prescription charge (2026/27 (from 1 April 2026)).
How does the cost of Ibuprofen compare in the US and the UK?
In the US, Ibuprofen (generic Ibuprofen) averaged $0.1169 in Medicare Part D spending per dosage unit in calendar year 2024, over 7,174,958 claims (CMS open data). In England, an NHS patient pays a flat £9.90 per dispensed item (2026/27 (from 1 April 2026)) — the same as for any other drug — or nothing with a Prepayment Certificate or exemption. The US figure is program spend per dose; the UK figure is a patient flat charge. They are not converted. Information only — not medical advice.
Not medical advice. The figures on this page are drawn unchanged from public government datasets for general information only. They are not price quotes and not a substitute for professional advice. What you actually pay depends on your country, pharmacy, insurance, manufacturer, dose and region. Always consult a licensed pharmacist or clinician before making any decision about Ibuprofen or switching medication.
The US figure is Medicare Part D PROGRAM spending per dosage unit (in US dollars), not a cash price; the UK figure is the patient's flat NHS charge per item (in pounds). They measure different things in different currencies and are shown side by side, never converted into one another.
United States
$0.1169
Average Medicare Part D spending per dosage unit, calendar year 2024, over 7.2 million claims. Program spend, not a cash price.
England (NHS)
£9.90
Flat patient charge per item (2026/27 (from 1 April 2026)) — same for any drug; or free with a Prepayment Certificate or exemption.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Brand / label name | Ibuprofen |
| Generic (active ingredient) | Ibuprofen |
| US: avg Medicare Part D spend per dosage unit | $0.1169 |
| US reference period | calendar year 2024 |
| US: total Part D claims (2024) | 7,174,958 |
| England: NHS patient charge per item | £9.90 |
| England: 12-month PPC cap | £114.50 |
| UK reference period | 2026/27 (from 1 April 2026) |
In England, an NHS patient pays a flat £9.90 per dispensed prescription item (2026/27 (from 1 April 2026), frozen) — the same charge for any drug, whatever it costs the NHS — or nothing at all with a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (£114.50/year cap, worth it above 11 items/year) or an exemption. NHS prescriptions are free outright in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Other common drugs — US vs UK
Frequently asked questions
- How much does Ibuprofen cost in the US?
- CMS reports average Medicare Part D spending of $0.1169 per dosage unit for Ibuprofen in calendar year 2024, weighted across all manufacturers over 7,174,958 claims. This is Medicare program spending per billing unit, not a pharmacy cash price.
- How much does Ibuprofen cost on the NHS in England?
- The NHS does not publish a comparable per-drug patient price. What a patient pays is the flat prescription charge: £9.90 per item (2026/27 (from 1 April 2026)), the same for Ibuprofen as for any drug — capped by a £114.50/year Prepayment Certificate, free with an exemption, and free outright in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Need a prescription for Ibuprofen?
A GeraClinic clinician can review your medication, explain lower-cost options where clinically appropriate, and issue or renew a prescription online — without travelling to a clinic.
Contains public sector information published by U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and licensed under the U.S. Government Works / Public Domain. Source: CMS Medicare Part D Spending by Drug (calendar year 2024, published 2026-06-25).
Contains public sector information published by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), NHS England & DHSC and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS prescription charges (England) — NHSBSA / NHS England / DHSC (2026/27 (from 1 April 2026), published 2026-04-01).