Medicine Treatment Cost Comparator

Total cost, cost per day and generic savings for a prescribed treatment, with live pharmacy prices. Free, private and instant.

How to use the Treatment Cost Comparator

Choose currency: $, £, €, ৳ and more.
Enter units per dose (tablets / mL).
Enter doses per day.
Enter treatment duration (days).
Enter prescribed medicine: price per pack.
Enter prescribed medicine: units per pack.
Enter generic equivalent: price per pack (optional) - optional.
Enter generic equivalent: units per pack (optional) - optional.
Press Calculate to get an instant result with a colour scale, chart and plain-English explanation.

About the Treatment Cost Comparator

Work out what a prescribed treatment will really cost. Enter how many tablets or mL you take per dose, how many doses a day and for how many days, then the price and pack size of the prescribed medicine and, optionally, a cheaper generic equivalent. The calculator rounds up to whole packs, shows the total cost, the cost per day and per unit, how much you save with the generic over the course, a month and a year, and how much of a pack is left unused. Use "Find live prices" to search real pharmacies in your country, see which have it in stock and fill in the prices with one click.

Also known as: medicine cost calculator, prescription cost calculator, generic vs brand cost calculator, treatment cost estimator.

Worked example

Currency: $
Units per dose: 1 tablets / mL
Doses per day: 2 per day
Treatment duration: 7 days
Prescribed medicine: price per pack: 90
Prescribed medicine: units per pack: 10 units
Generic equivalent: price per pack (optional): 30
Generic equivalent: units per pack (optional): 10 units

Estimated treatment cost: $180.00 for 7 days (Generic saves $120.00 (67%)). 14 units over 7 days needs 2 packs of 10 of the prescribed medicine, costing $180.00 ($25.71 a day). The generic equivalent would cost $60.00 ($8.57 a day), saving $120.00.

Units needed: 14
Prescribed: total cost: $180.00
Prescribed: cost per day: $25.71
Prescribed: cost per unit: $9.00

Formula and cut-offs

Units needed = units per dose x doses per day x days. Packs needed = units needed / units per pack, rounded up. Total cost = packs x price per pack. Cost per day = total cost / days. Savings = prescribed total - generic total. Example: 1 tablet twice a day for 7 days = 14 units; with 10 per pack that is 2 packs.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate the cost of a prescription?

Multiply units per dose by doses per day and days to get the units needed, divide by the units per pack (rounding up to whole packs), then multiply by the price per pack. Divide by the number of days for the cost per day.

Is a generic medicine as good as the brand?

A generic contains the same active ingredient in the same strength and form and must meet the same quality standards, usually at a much lower price. Ask your pharmacist or prescriber, and do not switch narrow-margin medicines such as warfarin or levothyroxine without their agreement.

Why does the total cost more than the price of the tablets I take?

Pharmacies usually sell whole packs. If a course needs 14 tablets and packs hold 10, you pay for 20. Ask whether smaller packs or loose tablets are sold.

Are the live pharmacy prices exact?

They are the listed prices at online pharmacies that deliver in your country at the moment you search. Confirm the final price, pack size and stock with the pharmacy, and ask a local pharmacy about stock near you.

Sources and references

Written and checked by the MediHub editorial team against the sources above. Read how we build and review our calculators.

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Last updated 2026-10-25. This calculator is for education only and is not medical advice. See the medical disclaimer.