Vancomycin (Firvanq, Vancocin) — Compare Prices at US & Canada Pharmacies
Compare real Vancomycin prices at US and Canadian pharmacies, see official FDA uses and warnings, and find generic alternatives. Save up to 72% by comparing US pharmacy prices.
Oral vancomycin (Vancocin capsules, or Firvanq mixed into an oral liquid) and IV vancomycin are the same active ingredient used two completely different ways: oral vancomycin stays in the gut and treats *C. difficile* colitis specifically, while IV vancomycin is absorbed into the bloodstream and treats serious systemic infections like MRSA. This page's pricing reflects both, since our data covers what's actually sold at retail — check which form you were prescribed before comparing prices.
How much does vancomycin cost without insurance?
Oral vancomycin (Vancocin capsules, a standard 40-capsule course) ranged from about $40 to $115 across the pharmacies in our data. The IV/liquid forms are priced very differently and are usually administered in a hospital or infusion-clinic setting rather than picked up at a retail pharmacy, so they're not a fair price comparison to the oral capsule.
Is there a generic version of vancomycin?
Yes — generic vancomycin HCl (both oral and IV) is widely available and substantially cheaper than the Vancocin brand capsule in our data. Ask your pharmacist whether the generic is being dispensed; it usually is by default.
Do I need a prescription to buy vancomycin?
Yes, in both the US and Canada, for either the oral or IV form. It's not available over the counter.
How can I save on vancomycin?
For the oral capsule specifically, comparing pharmacies is worthwhile — our data found close to a 3x spread between the cheapest and most expensive listing for the identical 40-capsule prescription. IV vancomycin cost is generally set by the hospital or infusion center, not a retail pharmacy, so retail price-comparison tools don't apply to it the same way.
"As low as" figures compare the single lowest oral tablet/capsule price found on each side — not necessarily the same strength or pack size. Always check the full tables below for your exact dose. Prices updated 2026-08-21.
Vancomycin prices at US pharmacies
Vancocin (Vancomycin Hcl) — capsule, 125mg, qty 40
| Pharmacy | Retail price | With discount card |
|---|---|---|
| CVS Pharmacy Lowest | $42.52 | $39.52 |
| Walgreens | $75.04 | $72.04 |
| Food Lion | $73.60 | — |
| Publix | $76.73 | — |
| Costco | $87.99 | — |
| Walmart Neighborhood Market | $95.39 | $92.39 |
| Walmart Pharmacy | $95.39 | $92.39 |
| Kroger Pharmacy | $118.05 | $115.05 |
Firvanq (Vancomycin Hcl) — bottle, 150ml of 50mg/ml, qty 150
| Pharmacy | Retail price | With discount card |
|---|---|---|
| Walgreens Lowest | $146.82 | $143.82 |
| CVS Pharmacy | $176.82 | $173.82 |
| Food Lion | $261.48 | — |
| Publix | $265.32 | $262.32 |
| Costco | $293.90 | — |
| Kroger Pharmacy | $387.81 | $384.81 |
| Harris Teeter Pharmacy | $387.81 | $384.81 |
| Walmart Neighborhood Market | $416.50 | $413.50 |
Vancomycin Hcl — bottle, 150ml of 250mg/5ml, qty 150
| Pharmacy | Retail price | With discount card |
|---|---|---|
| Walgreens Lowest | $146.82 | $143.82 |
| CVS Pharmacy | $176.82 | $173.82 |
| Food Lion | $261.48 | — |
| Publix | $265.32 | $262.32 |
| Costco | $293.90 | — |
| Kroger Pharmacy | $387.81 | $384.81 |
| Harris Teeter Pharmacy | $387.81 | $384.81 |
| Walmart Neighborhood Market | $416.50 | $413.50 |
Vancomycin Hcl In Dextrose — solution (quantity in ml), 1-5gm/200ml-%, qty 200
| Pharmacy | Retail price | With discount card |
|---|---|---|
| Kroger Pharmacy Lowest | $31.48 | $28.48 |
| Harris Teeter Pharmacy | $31.48 | $28.48 |
| Walmart Neighborhood Market | $33.94 | $30.94 |
| Walmart Pharmacy | $33.94 | $30.94 |
| Walgreens | $34.53 | $31.53 |
| Publix | $35.94 | $32.94 |
| CVS Pharmacy | $51.73 | $48.73 |
Vancomycin Hcl In Nacl — solution (quantity in ml), 1-0.9gm/200ml-%, qty 200
| Pharmacy | Retail price | With discount card |
|---|---|---|
| Kroger Pharmacy Lowest | $28.27 | $25.27 |
| Harris Teeter Pharmacy | $28.27 | $25.27 |
| Walmart Neighborhood Market | $30.49 | $27.49 |
| Walmart Pharmacy | $30.49 | $27.49 |
| Walgreens | $31.16 | $28.16 |
| Publix | $32.55 | $29.55 |
| CVS Pharmacy | $48.41 | $45.41 |
Vancomycin prices at Canadian pharmacies
| Strength | Pharmacy | Per pill (USD) | Pack total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 mg | CanadaPharmacyPro.com | $14.80 | $888.13 |
| 250 mg | SPFPharmacy.com | $14.92 | $895.14 |
| 250 mg | GoldStarMeds.com | $15.29 | $305.82 |
| 250 mg | SPFPharmacy.com | $15.54 | $310.80 |
| 250 mg | CanadaPharmacyPro.com | $15.62 | $624.98 |
| 250 mg | 1800RxOnline.com | $16.99 | $339.80 |
| 250 mg | InhalersOnline.com | $23.68 | $473.54 |
| Strength | Pharmacy | Per pill (USD) | Pack total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 mg | CanadianPrescriptionDrugstore.com | $3.48 | $209.00 / 60 |
| 250 mg | InhalersOnline.com | $4.89 | $489.00 |
| 250 mg | LifeRxPharmacy.com | $5.57 | $334.43 |
| 250 mg | CanadaPharmacyPro.com | $6.46 | $581.03 / 90 |
| 250 mg | LifeRxPharmacy.com | $6.69 | $200.66 |
| 250 mg | CanadaPharmacyPro.com | $6.84 | $410.14 / 60 |
| 250 mg | InhalersOnline.com | $8.18 | $490.92 |
| 250 mg | InhalersOnline.com | $9.00 | $89.99 |
| 250 mg | InhalersOnline.com | $9.61 | $192.13 |
| 250 mg | SPFPharmacy.com | $12.44 | $746.28 |
Canada prices are converted to USD at time of collection and shown per tablet where available. Ordering from Canadian pharmacies is legal for personal use in most cases but subject to FDA/CBSA rules — see US vs Canada, explained.
What is Vancomycin used for?
Vancomycin is really two different treatments depending on how it's given, and mixing them up is a common point of confusion. Taken orally as a capsule, it stays almost entirely inside the gut and barely enters the bloodstream — which sounds like a limitation, but is exactly the point, because oral vancomycin's one major approved use is treating Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) colitis, an infection that lives in the gut itself. Given intravenously, it's absorbed into the bloodstream and used for serious systemic infections — MRSA, bloodstream infections, endocarditis, and other cases where a patient is allergic to penicillin-class drugs and needs an alternative that still covers resistant gram-positive bacteria.
Oral vancomycin will not treat a systemic infection (it doesn't reach the bloodstream), and IV vancomycin, while technically present in the gut in small amounts, is not how C. diff is normally treated. If you're not sure which form and use applies to your prescription, ask your pharmacist — the two have very different price points, side-effect profiles, and monitoring needs.
How Vancomycin works
Binds the building blocks of the bacterial cell wall
Vancomycin attaches tightly to a specific piece (the D-Ala-D-Ala terminus) of the peptidoglycan precursors bacteria use to build their cell wall.
Physically blocks wall construction
By binding that piece, it prevents the enzymes that would normally assemble it into the growing cell wall from doing their job.
The cell wall fails and the bacterium dies
Without a properly built wall, the bacterial cell can't withstand internal pressure and ruptures — a direct, bactericidal effect against susceptible gram-positive bacteria like MRSA.
Typical dosage forms & strengths
| Use | Typical adult dose | Form |
|---|---|---|
| C. difficile colitis (oral) | 125 mg four times daily for 10 days (higher doses used for severe cases) | Capsule, or liquid (Firvanq) |
| Serious systemic infections (IV, e.g. MRSA) | Weight- and kidney-function-based, given by infusion, with blood levels monitored | IV solution — hospital/infusion-clinic setting |
General reference dosing from the FDA label — not personalized advice. Your prescribed dose may differ based on your infection, kidney function, age, and weight. Always follow your prescriber's instructions.
Related & alternative drugs
Warnings & interactions
This is a summary of the official FDA label text, not personalized medical advice. It does not list every possible interaction or side effect. Always tell your prescriber and pharmacist about every medicine and supplement you take.
Common, usually mild
- Nausea, stomach pain (oral form)
- Flushing, itching, or a rash on the face, neck, and upper body during IV infusion ('vancomycin flushing reaction' — related to infusion speed, not usually a true allergy)
- Headache
Serious — seek care promptly
- Decreased urination, swelling, unusual fatigue (possible kidney effect — mainly a concern with the IV form, monitored with blood tests)
- Ringing in the ears or hearing changes (rare, mainly with IV form and high blood levels)
- Signs of a severe allergic reaction: hives, facial/throat swelling, trouble breathing
- Severe or watery diarrhea that doesn't improve, or returns after finishing treatment (C. diff can recur even after successful treatment)
Contraindications
CONTRAINDICATIONS Vancomycin hydrochloride for injection is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to this antibiotic.
Warnings
WARNINGS Infusion Reactions Rapid bolus administration (e.g., over several minutes) may be associated with exaggerated hypotension, including shock and rarely cardiac arrest. Vancomycin hydrochloride for injection should be administered in a diluted solution over a period of not less than 60 minutes to avoid rapid-infusion-related reactions. Stopping the infusion usually results in prompt cessation of these reactions. Nephrotoxicity Systemic vancomycin exposure may result in acute kidney injury (AKI). The risk of AKI increases as systemic exposure/serum levels increase.
Notable drug interactions
| Drug / substance | What can happen |
|---|---|
| Aminoglycoside antibiotics (e.g. gentamicin) | Combined use (typically IV + IV) raises the risk of kidney and hearing effects — relevant mainly in hospital settings where both are used together for severe infections. |
| NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen) and other kidney-affecting drugs | Can add to vancomycin's kidney-related risk, mainly relevant to the IV form. |
| Other C. diff treatments (e.g. fidaxomicin) | Not typically combined — your prescriber will choose one primary treatment for a given C. diff episode. |
Pregnancy & breastfeeding
Pregnancy Teratogenic Effects Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with vancomycin. It is not known whether vancomycin can affect reproduction capacity. In a controlled clinical study, the potential ototoxic and nephrotoxic effects of vancomycin on infants were evaluated when the drug was administered to pregnant women for serious staphylococcal infections complicating intravenous drug abuse. Vancomycin was found in cord blood.
Vancomycin, by the numbers
Additional public data points beyond retail pricing — useful context, not a price quote.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Vancomycin cost without insurance?
Is Vancomycin cheaper in Canada or the US?
Is there a generic version of Vancomycin?
What drug class is Vancomycin in?
Page info
Prices last checked 2026-08-21. Reviewed against FDA and DailyMed official sources — see our review process. Not a substitute for professional medical advice.