What do weight loss injections cost?

Short answer

Without coverage, the typical monthly price for a GLP-1 weight loss programme lies between €220 (Saxenda starting dose, medication only) and €620 (Mounjaro 15 mg + clinic supervision). An average 12-month programme costs €4,000-€6,500 in total off-label.

With coverage (BMI ≥35 + comorbidity, or type 2 diabetes): only the €385 deductible (eigen risico) per calendar year — everything above that is covered by health insurance. Read our page on coverage for the conditions.

Medication prices per month (off-label, 2026)

Below are the current Dutch pharmacy prices (AIP + counter mark-up) for 2026. Online pharmacies are sometimes slightly below these prices; clinic programmes can come out slightly higher because of a service margin.

Total costs for 6 and 12 months

The real annual bill is a combination of: the titration phase (lower dose = lower costs), the maintenance phase (full dose) and the costs of supervision. Below are typical totals for programmes that go well.

Online pharmacy vs. clinic programme

Many people ask: 'can't I just order online?' In theory you can, from an EU-registered online pharmacy with a valid Dutch prescription. But without supervision you run 3 risks:

1. Dosing errors. Increasing too quickly causes severe side effects; staying on the starting dose too long wastes money and effect. A doctor is essential here.

2. No blood value monitoring. GLP-1 medication affects the liver, kidneys, pancreas and thyroid. Six-monthly blood tests are medically necessary to detect problems early.

3. Anti-yo-yo after stopping. Without lifestyle coaching, 60-67% of the weight comes back within 12 months (STEP-4). Clinical data show that structured coaching can halve that regain.

At Go Leaner everything is included in the Basic Programme: doctor consultations, blood tests, coaching, anti-yo-yo protocol. €199/month on top of the medication costs — transparent, no surprises.

Hidden costs people run into

Besides the main costs, there are a few expenses that are not always made clear with cheap online routes:

• Blood tests (€80-€150 each time, twice a year) — included at Go Leaner
• Prescription fees charged by online doctors (€25-€60 per prescription)
• Shipping + cold-chain storage at some online pharmacies (€15-€30 per month)
• Health insurance deductible (eigen risico, €385/year) does not count towards off-label use
• Switching costs if the first medicine does not work (1-2 months of 'wasted' medication)
• If you stop without coaching: regain coaching afterwards often costs more than the original supervision

If covered: what do you pay then?

If you meet the GVS Annex 2 criteria (BMI ≥35 with comorbidity + GLI failure, or BMI ≥40) or you have type 2 diabetes with insufficient control on oral medication, the story becomes very different.

In that case the medication is fully covered once the deductible (eigen risico) of €385 per calendar year has been used. A possible personal contribution of max €250/year applies if you choose a non-preferred brand, but this can usually be avoided.

Supervision by your GP/internist falls under basic health insurance. Coaching sessions and non-contracted lifestyle intervention fall outside regular coverage, except through supplementary insurance that covers GLI.