Vicodin Street Price & Prescription Cost

Vicodin is an opioid pain reliever that many people use for chronic pain. How much it costs depends on if you have a prescription and insurance or if you’re buying it on the streets. The cost of the prescription drug also depends on location and strength.

Vicodin is the brand name for the combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. It’s a semi-synthetic opioid painkiller or analgesic that’s used to treat chronic pain. It works by binding to the opioid receptors in the brain and changing how the body responds to pain.

Vicodin is similar to opioids and opiates like oxycodone (OxyContin), oxymorphone, hydromorphone, codeine, and oxycodone combination drugs like Percocet.

How much Vicodin costs depends on a variety of factors, including whether you’re obtaining it with a prescription or buying it on the street illegally, how much you’re buying, and the demand for the drug at the time of purchase.

Vicodin Street Price

The street price or street value of Vicodin can vary greatly depending on where you’re located and the strength of the dose. Generally, the higher the strength, the higher the price. On average, Vicodin bought on the street or black market can cost anywhere from $5-$25 per pill

For 100 pills, the average price is about $500 and that may be on the low side. Unfortunately, when a drug on the street is this expensive, people often look for cheaper alternatives like heroin or fentanyl.

Factors That Affect The Street Price of Vicodin

When it comes to the price of Vicodin on the street, there are a variety of factors that must be taken into consideration when looking at the cost.

Many things can change how much the prescription opioid costs on the black market including:

  • availability: if an illicit drug is easy to find, the price is usually lower than if it’s difficult to find
  • demand: if there is a high demand for a drug, the price is usually much higher
  • strength: the stronger Vicodin is, the more expensive it’s going to be
  • dosage: the higher the dosage you’re buying, the more the drug will cost 
  • quantity: the more pills you buy, the more you’re going to pay, but if you buy in bulk you may be able to pay less than if you buy one or two pills
  • location: buying Vicodin in cities with lots of availability may be cheaper than in rural locations where it’s harder to access the drug
  • safety: if law enforcement agencies are specifically looking for people buying or selling a specific drug, the price will likely go up

Vicodin Prescription Cost

How much prescription Vicodin costs often depends on whether you have insurance or not. Without insurance, it’s about $1.90 per milligram of the drug

For a 30-day supply of Vicodin, the price is typically around $50-$100 for 5 mg, $80-$100 for 7.5 mg, and $80-$110 for 10 mg.

For 12 pills, the cost can be around $26 for Vicodin that is 5 mg hydrocodone and 325 mg acetaminophen.

Side Effects Of Vicodin

Beyond the cost of Vicodin, it’s also important to know what the side effects are. No matter where you get your Vicodin, you’ll likely experience some side effects.

The most common side effects of Vicodin include:

  • constipation
  • drowsiness
  • lightheadedness
  • fuzzy thinking
  • anxiety
  • difficulty urinating
  • rash
  • itching
  • narrowing of the pupils 

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies Vicodin as a Schedule II controlled substance. This means that it has a relatively high potential for abuse and can lead to dependence and addiction. 

Vicodin Overdose

Vicodin, especially when abused, comes with a risk of an overdose. Like most drugs, taking too much can lead to an overdose death. Buying Vicodin off the street also increases the risk of overdose due to adulterants like fentanyl.

Signs of a Vicodin overdose can include:

  • narrowed or widened pupils
  • difficulty breathing
  • slowed or stopped heartbeat
  • cold, clammy skin
  • excessive sleepiness
  • unable to respond or wake up
  • seizures

Vicodin Withdrawal Symptoms

Vicodin abuse often leads to physical dependence. When you become dependent on a drug, your body can no longer function properly without it. When this happens and you quit taking it, serious withdrawal symptoms can occur.

Vicodin withdrawal symptoms may include:

  • muscle aches
  • vomiting
  • tremors
  • yawning
  • nausea
  • diarrhea
  • insomnia
  • dilation of pupils
  • irritability
  • anxiety
  • confusion

Because these symptoms can be serious, it’s recommended that, if you’re looking to quit Vicodin, you should go to a detox center or see your healthcare provider. After detox, the next step is substance abuse treatment and mental health treatment at a certified treatment center.

If you or a loved one are struggling with prescription drug abuse, you don’t have to go through it alone. 

Our experienced team at Ohio Recovery Center can help you build an addiction treatment plan customized for you. Your plan may include detox, inpatient drug rehab, medication-assisted treatment, and aftercare. To learn more, please call our helpline today.

  1. Becker’s ASC Review https://www.beckersasc.com/pain-management/prescription-painkillers-cost-up-to-13-times-more-on-street.html
  2. U.S. Department of Justice https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs33/33775/appendb.htm

Written by Ohio Recovery Center Editorial Team

Published on: August 14, 2023

© 2024 Ohio Recovery Center | All Rights Reserved

* This page does not provide medical advice.

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