Which similar weight-management injection has stronger evidence, and what does it cost? This comparison covers tirzepatide, injectable semaglutide and liraglutide. It separates direct clinical comparisons from price listings so a starter offer is not mistaken for the cost of long-term treatment.
Sources checked September 11, 2026. Korea and US prices appear in separate sections with their original currencies and conditions. “Verified” means checked against the linked publication or price page—not a guaranteed pharmacy quote, stock check or personal treatment outcome. This is a selected comparison of three injectable treatments, not a complete list of obesity medicines.
Compare ingredients as well as brand names
- Tirzepatide: Mounjaro is the Korean brand considered here; Zepbound is the US weight-management brand used for the price comparison. It acts on GIP and GLP-1 receptors and is injected weekly.
- Semaglutide: Wegovy. The trial comparisons below concern weekly injections up to 2.4 mg.
- Liraglutide: Saxenda, injected daily; the trials below used a 3.0 mg target dose.
Product names, formulations and approved uses vary by market. The trial results below should not be transferred automatically to other formulations or doses. Check local product information through Lilly Korea, Novo Nordisk Korea, and the US Zepbound, Wegovy and Saxenda labels.
What did direct comparisons establish?
SURMOUNT-5: tirzepatide vs. semaglutide
20.2% vs. 13.7% average weight loss at 72 weeks.
This open-label randomized trial included 751 adults with obesity, or overweight with a related complication, without diabetes. It compared maximum tolerated weekly tirzepatide 10 or 15 mg with semaglutide 1.7 or 2.4 mg, alongside lifestyle counseling. Lilly funded the trial.
The average difference was 6.5 percentage points. This does not establish a result for starter doses or every currently available Wegovy formulation. Full SURMOUNT-5 results reported by the sponsor, with the NEJM publication linked.
STEP 8: semaglutide vs. liraglutide
15.8% vs. 6.4% average weight loss at 68 weeks.
This randomized open-label comparison studied weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg and daily liraglutide 3.0 mg in adults with overweight or obesity, without diabetes, with diet and activity counseling. The trial included 338 participants across active-treatment and placebo groups and was funded by Novo Nordisk.
Semaglutide produced greater average weight loss in this study. It was not a three-way comparison with tirzepatide. Read the STEP 8 primary publication.
Do not combine the two trials into a precise three-drug ranking. They used different populations and protocols. Average weight loss is one outcome; tolerability, contraindications and the ability to continue treatment also matter.
Before comparing two price tags
Country, ingredient, formulation and prescribed strength.
Count doses and days. Four weeks means 28 days; one pen does not always mean one dose.
Separate a clinic quote, manufacturer list price and conditional self-pay offer. Add consultation and dispensing charges where applicable.
Korea: a documented local price example
Lilly Korea states that Mounjaro is non-reimbursed and prices vary between medical institutions. There is no single national retail price to quote. Lilly Korea pricing FAQ.
The following is one clinic’s published fee schedule, not a Korean market average, lowest-price claim or clinic recommendation. Ally Pediatrics in Suwon lists these Wegovy and Mounjaro entries as four-week supplies, with July 2026 change dates.
| Product and dose | Listed four-week price |
|---|---|
| Wegovy 0.25 / 0.5 / 1.0 mg | ₩250,000 / ₩280,000 / ₩300,000 |
| Wegovy 1.7 / 2.4 mg | ₩360,000 / ₩420,000 |
| Mounjaro 2.5 / 5 mg | ₩320,000 / ₩420,000 |
| Mounjaro 7.5 / 10 mg | ₩570,000 / ₩570,000 |
| Mounjaro 12.5 / 15 mg | ₩720,000 / ₩720,000 |
The same page lists Saxenda at ₩100,000 but does not specify its quantity or duration. A comparable monthly Saxenda price is therefore unverified. It separately lists a ₩20,000 non-reimbursed prescription fee; confirm whether this applies in addition to any quoted treatment price. Clinic’s original fee schedule.
Ask a local provider for a written quote stating dose, number of pens, days supplied, consultation and test fees. A published entry does not confirm that every listed dose is currently in stock.
United States: official prices have different conditions
These are manufacturer-published figures, not a quote for every pharmacy or insurance plan. US offers do not establish eligibility for a person living in Korea.
| Product | Published price and basis |
|---|---|
| Zepbound vials or KwikPen | $299 at 2.5 mg; $399 at 5 mg; $449 at 7.5–15 mg under the conditional self-pay offer. Per 28 days. |
| Wegovy weekly injection, up to 2.4 mg | $199 for each of two eligible starter fills; then $349 per four-pen box under the self-pay offer. |
| Saxenda | $1,349.02 published list price. This is not a verified self-pay monthly quote comparable with the offers above. |
Zepbound: The $449 offer requires subsequent refill purchases within 45 days of the previous delivery/receipt. Regular prices without that offer are $499 at 7.5 mg and $699 at 10, 12.5 or 15 mg. Eligibility, taxes and fees may apply; terms can change. The 2.5 mg dose is for initiation, not maintenance. Lilly’s official prices and offer terms.
Wegovy: The $199 offer is for patients new to the savings offer or NovoCare Pharmacy, for 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg fills through December 31, 2026. A month is defined as four pens. Eligibility restrictions apply and the offer can change. The $349 figure concerns injections through 2.4 mg; HD 7.2 mg and tablets have different prices and are outside the efficacy comparisons above. NovoCare’s current pricing page.
Saxenda: The manufacturer lists $1,349.02 and explains that actual out-of-pocket cost depends on coverage. The cited page does not clearly identify the package quantity alongside that figure. Obtain a dose-and-quantity-specific quote rather than treating it as equivalent to the other two cash offers. Saxenda list-price explanation.
What is verified—and what still needs a quote?
- Verified evidence: The two direct trials favored tirzepatide over the studied semaglutide regimen, and semaglutide over liraglutide, for average weight loss in their respective study populations.
- Verified price listings: A named Korean clinic’s four-week entries and US manufacturer figures with stated conditions.
- Not established: A national Korean average, a universal cheapest option, comparable current cash prices for every product, or which medicine is best for one person.
Compare the prescribed maintenance dose over the same number of weeks, including visits, tests and supplies. Do not divide a promotional monthly price by a trial’s weight-loss percentage: the price period, dose and study duration do not match.
Use our consultation checklist to discuss suitability and total costs. Read the Mounjaro/Wegovy side-effects guide and the exact prescribed product’s label before treatment. This article is an evidence and price reference, not a purchase recommendation.