What montelukast costs if you have no insurance

What montelukast costs without insurance

MedlinePlus is the health site run by the National Library of Medicine. It says montelukast is used to prevent wheezing and chest tightness caused by asthma. The medicine also prevents breathing trouble during exercise. It treats the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, which means hay fever and similar nose allergies, and a clinician has to write the prescription.

One view of real-world prices comes from Medicare's public spending data. Medicare drug plans and their members spent an average of about $11 per fill of generic montelukast tablets in 2024. The figure combines the plan share and the member share. A fill can hold more or fewer than 30 tablets, and this figure is not a cash price.

The weekly NADAC survey comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a federal health agency. It averages what pharmacies pay to buy each drug, so it shows the store's cost and your receipt will show more. The examples below are from the week of October 21, 2026.

• The generic 10 mg tablet cost pharmacies about $0.04 each, which is about $1.30 for 30 tablets.
• The generic 5 mg chewable tablet cost about $0.07 each, or about $2.17 for 30.
• The generic 4 mg chewable tablet cost about $0.08 each, or about $2.35 for 30.
• The generic 4 mg granules cost about $0.78 per packet, or about $23 for 30 packets.

The pharmacy's filling fee is part of the counter price too. A 2022 Ohio Medicaid survey of 2,198 pharmacies put the typical cost to dispense one prescription at about $9.46. For a pill that costs a few cents, that fee can make up most of what you pay.

The form and strength are your clinician's choice, so treat these figures as a sense of scale. The counter price will be higher because each pharmacy adds its own costs.

The brand-name tablet costs far more

The brand-name tablet cost pharmacies about $9.23 each in the same survey, or about $277 for 30 tablets. Medicare's spending data show an average of about $516 per fill of the brand in 2024, compared with about $11 for the generic. These are different measures, but the gap is large either way.

Other companies can sell a generic, which is a copy of the brand-name medicine. The FDA says a generic must match the brand in active ingredient and strength and meet the same quality standards. It also says that many generic makers typically push prices down, which fits what the survey shows for this medicine.

What changes the price

The form is one factor, because MedlinePlus says montelukast comes as tablets and chewables, and as granules for young children. In the survey, a chewable tablet cost about twice as much per unit as the 10 mg tablet. The granules cost many times as much per packet. Your clinician chooses the form that fits the patient.

Age and use are another factor, because they decide the form. MedlinePlus lists asthma use from 12 months of age and exercise-related breathing trouble from age 6. A parent who is quoted a price should ask which form the quote covers.

The pharmacy is the last factor. Two stores may pay nearly the same for a pill and still charge you different amounts. Calling around can tell you more than any national number.

Ways to pay less

Start by calling a few pharmacies for the cash price of the exact strength and amount on your prescription. The steps are in our guide on comparing prescription prices. You will find other options in our guide on prescriptions without insurance.

Community health centers set fees on a sliding scale, which means the fee depends on your income. Through a federal program called 340B, the Health Resources and Services Administration, or HRSA, says these centers can buy outpatient drugs at reduced prices. No HRSA figure tells us how much patients save, so ask the center to quote you a price. If you want to look for one, start with our guide on community health centers.

Asthma care often needs more than one medicine. If you also use a rescue inhaler, our guide on inhaler costs without insurance explains those prices. Visits and refills are another cost. Direct primary care charges a flat monthly fee for them, usually $50 to $200, and you can find a cash-pay doctor.

An FDA warning about mood and behavior

In March 2020 the FDA required a boxed warning on montelukast. A boxed warning is the strongest safety warning on a drug's label. It says serious mental health events, including suicidal thoughts or actions, have been reported with this medicine.

MedlinePlus says these changes can happen during treatment or after it has stopped. They can happen even in people who never had mental health problems. Its list of signs includes agitation, aggression and low mood, as well as seeing things that are not there. It says to call your doctor right away if you notice any of them, and to make sure family or caregivers know the signs.

If you or someone you know is in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The line is free and private, and it answers at all hours.

The FDA also says montelukast should be used for hay fever only in people who do not respond well to other treatments. That choice is for you and your doctor. If you are wondering what triggers your allergies, our guide on allergy test costs explains testing. Please do not start, stop or change this medicine on your own, and tell your doctor if cost is a problem.

When asthma needs emergency care

MedlinePlus says montelukast is not for treating a sudden asthma attack. Your doctor will prescribe a short-acting inhaler for those times. Call your doctor if your symptoms get worse or if attacks come more often.

If you have severe trouble breathing, blue lips, or cannot speak in full sentences, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. This page is general information and cannot replace a visit with your doctor.

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