# Buying insulin in Canada: Costco is cheapest source **URL:** \ **Category:** Insulin\ **Tags:** insulin, cost-of-diabetes\ **Created:** [February 25, 2019, 2:36am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809 "2019-02-25T02:36:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scotteric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@Scotteric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Scotteric)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 2:36am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/1 "2019-02-25T02:36:03Z")
Costco is your cheapest option, no matter which Canadian city you are in. I have never been asked a single question when buying insulin here other than how much I need. ---
**Author:** ![Lmaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@Lmaty](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Lmaty)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 12:21pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/2 "2019-02-25T12:21:51Z")
I’m guessing you just can’t do this without a Costco membership right? ---
**Author:** ![Thomas](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/thomas/32/1719_2.png) [@Thomas](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Thomas)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 12:24pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/3 "2019-02-25T12:24:23Z")
> [@Buying insulin while in Canada](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-while-in-canada/2952/69): > > I’m guessing you just can’t do this without a Costco membership right? $60 membership annual fee. Factor it (entire annual fee) into your first 90 day order. Decide whether it is worth it or not based on the savings. ---
**Author:** ![Scotteric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@Scotteric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Scotteric)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 12:35pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/4 "2019-02-25T12:35:20Z")
As @Thomas said, it’s $60. It might not be worth it if you are just buying NovoRapid, unless in large quantities, but Levemir and Lantus are significantly cheaper. BD pen needles are also cheaper at Costco, but not Novo needles for whatever reason (but BD are better anyway in my experience). Also note that every insulin in Canada except Tresiba to my knowledge is available in penfill cartridges (including Regular, Lantus and Levemir) and pens are free with purchase of cartridges. I originally signed up for the Kirkland coffee pods and stayed for the insulin! ---
**Author:** ![Lmaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@Lmaty](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Lmaty)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 1:12pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/5 "2019-02-25T13:12:02Z")
I wish there was at least a Costco near me so we could use it lol. ---
**Author:** ![Lmaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@Lmaty](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Lmaty)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 1:16pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/6 "2019-02-25T13:16:10Z")
My daughter’s insurance covers the Baslagar pen but no short acting insulin pens. She would need the Novorapid pen. ---
**Author:** ![Scotteric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@Scotteric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Scotteric)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 1:30pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/7 "2019-02-25T13:30:20Z")
It’s around $68-$70 for 5 penfill cartridges at most pharmacies and probably $60 at Costco. Avoid independent pharmacies, they charge higher markup. Stick with Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix (in Quebec), Rexall, Walmart or Jean Coutu (Quebec). Also my advice is to get the penfill cartridges and a NovoPen Echo so that she can dose in 0.5 units, instead of the pre-filled disposable pens, unless she has absolutely no use for this. You can’t get the NovoPen Echo at pharmacies though, only the NovoPen 5 which doesn’t dose in half units but has a dosing memory screen and so is still more useful than the plastic disposables. ---
**Author:** ![Canuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/65b543/32.png) [@Canuck](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Canuck)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 6:31am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/8 "2019-02-26T06:31:30Z")
Nope! You don’t need a Costco membership to use the pharmacy. Not many people know this! If they ask for your membership at the counter- you can just decline. ---
**Author:** ![Michel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/michel/32/387_2.png) [@Michel](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Michel)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 7:07am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/9 "2019-02-26T07:07:25Z")
> [@Buying insulin while in Canada](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-while-in-canada/2952/77): > > You don’t need a Costco membership to use the pharmacy. I had no idea! I don’t think it is true in the US. I am pretty sure I had to use my Costco card at the pharmacy there. ---
**Author:** ![Boerenkool](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/boerenkool/32/6307_2.png) [@Boerenkool](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Boerenkool)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 9:51am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/10 "2019-02-26T09:51:48Z")
Apparently that depends on whether it is mandated by state law: [https://www.rd.com/advice/things-buy-costco-without-membership/](https://www.rd.com/advice/things-buy-costco-without-membership/) ---
**Author:** ![Scotteric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@Scotteric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Scotteric)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/11 "2019-02-26T15:19:33Z")
I wasn’t aware of this either, they won’t even let me in the store without showing my card! I did just learn that Costco does not operate pharmacies in Quebec though due to their laws (la belle province always does things differently than the rest of Canada). ---
**Author:** ![Lmaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@Lmaty](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Lmaty)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 11:58pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/12 "2019-02-26T23:58:13Z")
Just was on the Costco’s website and there are several in Quebec including near Montreal that include pharmacies. [https://www.costco.ca/warehouse-locations/marche-central-montreal-qc-527.html](https://www.costco.ca/warehouse-locations/marche-central-montreal-qc-527.html) ---
**Author:** ![Lmaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@Lmaty](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Lmaty)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 12:55am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/13 "2019-02-27T00:55:51Z")
So for the Echo she would have to get this in the states, then the refills in Canada will fit if? ---
**Author:** ![Michel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/michel/32/387_2.png) [@Michel](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Michel)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 1:11am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/14 "2019-02-27T01:11:01Z")
> [@Buying insulin while in Canada](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-while-in-canada/2952/82): > > then the refills in Canada will fit if? Yes. We use Echo pens, and actually have some Canadian insulin we bought there for it. We love this pen! Of course US insulin works as well 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lmaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@Lmaty](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Lmaty)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 1:46am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/15 "2019-02-27T01:46:07Z")
But US insulin costs so much more! ---
**Author:** ![TravelingOn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/travelingon/32/1583_2.png) [@TravelingOn](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TravelingOn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 2:28am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/16 "2019-02-27T02:28:35Z")
> [@Buying insulin while in Canada](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-while-in-canada/2952/77): > > You don’t need a Costco membership to use the pharmacy. Not many people know this! If they ask for your membership at the counter- you can just decline. Ditto with the US version. I did this for about six months before breaking down and getting a Costco card. I figured if I was in there I might as well do my shopping too. 😂 Often when too lazy to find my card as I enter (because I’m generally the one with chemical soaked hands since I’ve just obsessively swabbed down my shopping cart) I say “pharmacy” and keep walking. ---
**Author:** ![Michel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/michel/32/387_2.png) [@Michel](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Michel)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 6:36pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/18 "2019-02-27T18:36:39Z")
6 posts were merged into an existing topic: [How to order G6 and other Dexcom supplies from Costco](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/how-to-order-g6-and-other-dexcom-supplies-from-costco/6808/5) ---
**Author:** ![Jen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jen/32/4777_2.png) [@Jen](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jen)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 6:34pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/24 "2019-02-27T18:34:06Z")
> [@jag1](#): > > This is true for Dexcom supplies as well. BUT the special pricing talked about in that thread is a special rebate below their regular prices, and that special rebate is only for members, only for those without insurance, and is only for Dexcom G6. This rebate is a US-only thing, too. This thread is mostly about Costco in Canada. To my knowledge, you cannot buy any Dexcom supplies at Canadian Costcos, and also Canadian Dexcom supplies have very few special discounts or sales compared to the US. (Also, the G6 won’t be available here for the next year or so.) ---
**Author:** ![Michel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/michel/32/387_2.png) [@Michel](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Michel)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 6:37pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/25 "2019-02-27T18:37:20Z")
@Jen, you are right, sorry. I moved the preceding posts to the other Costco thread. ---
**Author:** ![Chris](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/chris/32/382_2.png) [@Chris](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Chris)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 6:38pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809/26 "2019-02-27T18:38:11Z")
I am not sure, I will ask the next time I am in the store. [Next page](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/buying-insulin-in-canada-costco-is-cheapest-source/6809.md?page=2)