Saxenda vs Mounjaro vs Wegovy: Which Is the Cheapest Weight Loss Treatment in the UK?

At the starter dose, all three treatments are priced within a similar range, approximately £128 to £180 per month. However, at the maintenance dose, the picture changes significantly.

• Saxenda (liraglutide): £150 to £290 per month with daily use.
• Wegovy (semaglutide): £240 to £295 per month at 2.4 mg.
• Mounjaro (tirzepatide): £249 to £375 per month at 15 mg.

On headline maintenance cost alone, Saxenda is often the most affordable option, but its daily injection requirement, lower average weight loss benchmarks, and different dosing structure mean that "cheapest" does not automatically mean "best value." This article unpacks all three in full so you can make a properly informed comparison.

Important: All three are prescription only medicines. A clinical assessment from a licensed prescriber is required before any of them can be dispensed. This article is for informational purposes only.

Before getting into the numbers, it is worth understanding what makes GLP 1 treatment price comparison structurally tricky, because it is not like comparing the price of two identical products.

All three treatments use dose titration. You start at the lowest dose and increase gradually. Prices rise at each dose step. The starter price that most pharmacies advertise applies only to the first four weeks. For Mounjaro, moving from the 2.5 mg starter to the 15 mg maintenance dose means the price can more than double over five to six months.

Saxenda is used daily, while the other two are weekly.This means Saxenda's dosing frequency is fundamentally different. You use more pens per month, and the dose escalation works differently. Monthly costs for Saxenda reflect daily dosing, while Mounjaro and Wegovy costs reflect four weekly doses per pen.

Hidden fees vary by provider. Consultation fees, delivery charges, programme subscriptions, and needle costs can add £30 to £95 per month on top of the pen price across different pharmacies, and these costs are not always visible at the comparison stage.

With those caveats clearly stated, here is the full price comparison.

How Saxenda Is Dosed

Saxenda uses a six week starter schedule, beginning at 0.6 mg daily and increasing by 0.6 mg each week until reaching the full 3 mg daily maintenance dose.

Because Saxenda is used daily, you go through medication faster than with weekly treatments. Each Saxenda pen contains 18 mg of liraglutide, which is approximately 6 doses at 3 mg, meaning patients on full maintenance dose typically require approximately four to five pens per month.

Saxenda Annual Cost Estimate

What Saxenda Offers

Saxenda was the first GLP 1 treatment to be approved for weight management in the UK and has the longest safety record of the three. Clinical data from the SCALE trial programme showed average weight loss of approximately 5 to 8% of body weight over 56 weeks at the 3 mg dose. For context on the mechanism and evidence base, see the Saxenda weight loss treatment guide at Healthwise360.

The daily schedule is the key practical trade off. For some people this is manageable; for others, the weekly schedule of Mounjaro or Wegovy represents a meaningful quality of life difference.

How Wegovy Is Dosed

Wegovy follows a five step weekly titration from 0.25 mg to the 2.4 mg maintenance dose.

Each Wegovy pen contains four weekly doses, with 0.5 mL per dose, making one pen equivalent to one month of treatment.

Wegovy Annual Cost Estimate

What Wegovy Offers

Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4 mg) is NICE approved for weight management in the UK and is backed by the STEP clinical trial programme, which demonstrated average weight loss of approximately 12 to 15% of body weight over 68 weeks at the maintenance dose. It is currently the most established weekly GLP 1 option in the UK private market in terms of prescription volume and evidence base.

NICE approval also means Wegovy has an NHS access pathway, though availability remains constrained by local commissioning in 2026. For those who may qualify for NHS access, this is worth exploring before committing to private prescribing.

For a full overview of the clinical evidence and NHS eligibility context, see the Wegovy weight loss treatment guide at Healthwise360.

How Mounjaro Is Dosed

Mounjaro has the most dose steps of the three, with six strengths from 2.5 mg to 15 mg, all taken weekly.

Each Mounjaro KwikPen delivers four weekly doses, with 0.6 mL each, making one pen equivalent to approximately one month of treatment.

Mounjaro Annual Cost Estimate

What Mounjaro Offers

Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a dual GIP and GLP 1 receptor agonist, and it is the only treatment in this category to act on two separate receptor pathways simultaneously. Clinical data from the SURMOUNT trial programme showed average weight loss of approximately 15 to 20% of body weight, making it the highest efficacy GLP 1 treatment currently available in the UK private market.

It is also the most expensive at maintenance doses. Whether the higher average efficacy justifies the higher cost is a clinical question, because individual response varies significantly, and some patients achieve similar results on Wegovy at a lower monthly spend.

For the full mechanism and clinical evidence overview, see the Mounjaro tirzepatide guide at Healthwise360.

Starter Dose (Month 1)

Mid Titration (Month 3)

Maintenance Dose

All prices are approximate, based on independent monitoring of GPhC registered UK pharmacies in 2026. Always confirm directly with the pharmacy before ordering.

Average Weight Loss Benchmark (Clinical Trial Data)

Clinical outcomes vary significantly between individuals. These are population level averages from trial data, not guaranteed outcomes.

"Best value" is not the same as "cheapest." It requires considering both the cost and what that cost is delivering, which varies significantly between these three treatments.

When Saxenda May Represent Good Value

Saxenda has the lowest entry cost in most scenarios and the longest track record of the three treatments. For patients for whom the daily schedule is manageable, and particularly for those who have not previously tried GLP 1 treatment and want to begin with a well established option, Saxenda can represent a lower financial commitment.

However, the lower average weight loss benchmark of 5 to 8% compared with 12 to 20% for the newer agents means the clinical return per pound spent may be lower for some patients. The calculation changes if you stabilise at a partial dose and achieve satisfactory outcomes at a lower monthly cost.

When Wegovy May Represent Good Value

Wegovy sits in the middle of the three on both price and efficacy. Its NICE approval, established evidence base, and NHS access pathway are meaningful differentiators, particularly for patients who may qualify for NHS access and want to exhaust that route before committing to private prescribing costs. At the 1 mg or 1.7 mg stabilisation dose, Wegovy's annual cost can be considerably lower than the full maintenance figure suggests.

When Mounjaro May Represent Good Value

Mounjaro's higher average weight loss efficacy means that for patients who respond strongly to tirzepatide's dual receptor mechanism, the higher monthly cost may translate to outcomes that justify the difference. Patients who have previously tried and had limited success with a GLP 1 single receptor agent, such as Wegovy or Saxenda, are sometimes switched to Mounjaro precisely because the dual mechanism produces better individual response.

The value calculation for Mounjaro is most straightforward for patients with a larger initial weight loss goal, where the higher average efficacy translates directly into meaningful progress that lower efficacy options might not produce at any price.

Whichever treatment you are researching, the following additional costs apply across the market and must be factored into any genuine price comparison.

• Consultation fees: some providers bundle this into the pen price; others charge £20 to £50 separately per prescription cycle.
• Cold chain delivery: all three treatments require refrigerated delivery. Fees range from £0 to £15 per order depending on provider.
• Needles and consumables: these are not always included in pen price listings.
• Programme or monitoring fees: some providers charge a monthly subscription for structured support above the medication cost.
• Dose escalation cost increases: all three treatments increase in cost as the dose rises. Budget for the maintenance dose, not the starter.

For the most complete and up to date provider by provider cost comparison across all three treatments, the Mounjaro vs Wegovy vs Saxenda comparison hub at Healthwise360 aggregates verified pricing from more than 64 GPhC registered pharmacies with Trustpilot filtering, covering all dose strengths in a single interface.

Regardless of which treatment you research, the same safety verification applies across all three.

For a structured guide to pharmacy verification alongside live price comparison, see the best weight loss treatment comparison guide at Healthwise360.

Both Wegovy and Mounjaro have NICE approved NHS access pathways in 2026. Saxenda is also available through NHS weight management services in some regions.

NHS access criteria typically include:

• BMI 30 plus, or BMI 35 plus in some pathways.
• At least one qualifying weight related health condition, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, or sleep apnoea.
• Referral through a specialist weight management service.

In practice, NHS access remains constrained by local commissioning and service capacity, and most eligible patients in 2026 are still accessing treatment privately. However, for patients who may qualify, pursuing NHS access first is worth exploring with a GP before committing to private prescribing costs.

On pure headline price at maintenance dose, Saxenda is typically the cheapest of the three UK weight loss injections, followed by Wegovy, then Mounjaro. However, price alone does not determine value.

• Saxenda: lowest headline cost, daily schedule, and 5 to 8% average weight loss.
• Wegovy: mid range cost, weekly schedule, 12 to 15% average weight loss, and NICE approved NHS pathway.
• Mounjaro: highest cost, weekly schedule, 15 to 20% average weight loss, and dual receptor mechanism.

For patients primarily focused on cost, Saxenda or Wegovy at a partial stabilisation dose may represent the lowest sustainable annual spend. For patients prioritising efficacy and tolerating the higher cost, Mounjaro's clinical data supports its price premium for many users.

The right comparison is not which is cheapest, it is which delivers the best outcome for your specific situation at a cost that is sustainable for your circumstances. That question belongs in a conversation with a licensed prescriber, informed by the pricing context this article provides.

To compare live prices across all three treatments and verify pharmacy credentials before starting any conversation, visit the weight loss treatment price comparison guide at Healthwise360.