Diabetes medications: Cost Comparison
A broad comparison of common diabetes medicines across several classes — metformin, sulfonylureas (glimepiride, glipizide), a DPP-4 inhibitor (sitagliptin), SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists and long-acting insulin — so the cost gap between older and newer therapies is visible side by side.
Across these 11 drugs, average Medicare Part D spending per dosage unit ranges from $0.0564 (Metformin HCl) to $511.63 (Mounjaro) for calendar year 2024. Figures are real CMS open data, in US dollars.
How much do diabetes medications cost in the US?
As of calendar year 2024, average Medicare Part D spending per dosage unit for these 11 diabetes medications ranged from $0.0564 (Metformin HCl) to $511.63 (Mounjaro), per CMS open data. These are Medicare program spending figures per billing unit — not pharmacy cash prices, and not medical advice.
| Drug | Generic (active ingredient) | Avg Part D spending / dosage unit | 2024 Part D claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metformin HCl | Metformin HCl | $0.0564 | 23,961,097 |
| Jardiance | Empagliflozin | $18.94 | 11,368,280 |
| Ozempic | Semaglutide | $306.48 | 10,417,182 |
| Metformin HCl ER | Metformin HCl | $0.06 | 10,256,666 |
| Farxiga | Dapagliflozin Propanediol | $18.31 | 5,634,650 |
| Lantus Solostar | Insulin Glargine,Hum.Rec.Anlog | $6.112 | 5,570,732 |
| Mounjaro | Tirzepatide | $511.63 | 5,105,397 |
| Glimepiride | Glimepiride | $0.0863 | 4,597,334 |
| Glipizide | Glipizide | $0.0783 | 4,523,542 |
| Trulicity | Dulaglutide | $467.75 | 4,305,141 |
| Januvia | Sitagliptin Phosphate | $17.97 | 4,027,317 |
Figures are CMS’s own published Medicare Part D spending values (field Avg_Spnd_Per_Dsg_Unt_Wghtd_2024), reported unchanged. The most-prescribed drug in this group in 2024 was Metformin HCl (24.0 million claims). View the full dataset on CMS data.cms.gov.
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Metformin HCl
Metformin HClThis is average Medicare Part D program spending per dosage unit, not a pharmacy cash price or a per-prescription cost. Information only — not medical advice and not a price quote.
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Frequently asked questions
- Which diabetes medications are compared here?
- This page compares 11 diabetes medications from the CMS Medicare Part D dataset (calendar year 2024): Metformin HCl, Jardiance, Ozempic, Metformin HCl ER, Farxiga, Lantus Solostar, Mounjaro, Glimepiride, Glipizide, Trulicity, Januvia. Each is shown with its real average Medicare Part D spending per dosage unit in US dollars.
- What is the cheapest diabetes medication by Medicare spending per unit?
- Among these drugs, Metformin HCl had the lowest average Medicare Part D spending per dosage unit at $0.0564 (calendar year 2024), and Mounjaro the highest at $511.63. This is program spending per billing unit, not a retail price, and dosage units differ between drugs.
- Is this the price I would pay for diabetes medications?
- No. These figures are average Medicare Part D program spending per dosage unit from CMS open data, not a pharmacy cash price or per-prescription cost. What you pay depends on your pharmacy, insurance, manufacturer, dose and region. This is information only, not medical advice.
- Can a GeraClinic clinician help with type 2 (and, for insulin, type 1) diabetes?
- A GeraClinic clinician can review your medication for type 2 (and, for insulin, type 1) diabetes, explain the options, and issue or renew a prescription online where clinically appropriate. GeraClinic only lists independently verified, licensed clinicians.
Need help with type 2 (and, for insulin, type 1) diabetes?
A GeraClinic clinician can review your medication, explain the options, and issue or renew a prescription online where clinically appropriate — 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).
Informational/educational only — not a substitute for professional medical advice; a clinician interprets results.