Mounjaro dosage starts at 2.5 mg a week and rises in 2.5 mg steps to a 15 mg adult maximum
You start Mounjaro at 2.5 mg once a week for 4 weeks, then move to 5 mg. If you need more blood sugar control, your prescriber can add 2.5 mg at a time, after at least 4 weeks on each dose, up to 15 mg.
Mounjaro is approved for type 2 diabetes, so every step past 5 mg depends on your glycemic control. Children aged 10 and older stop at 10 mg. On LillyDirect, your self-pay price is the same at every dose.
- 2.5 mgyour starting dose for weeks 1 to 4
- 5 mgyour first treatment dose, from week 5
- 15 mgthe adult maximum; 10 mg for children aged 10 and older
- $499LillyDirect self-pay per 28 days, at every strength
We read the FDA label (DailyMed version 1, effective July 29, 2026) and Lilly's prices on October 15, 2026. Your prescriber sets your dose.
What is the Mounjaro dosing schedule?
You move from 2.5 mg to 5 mg after 4 weeks, and each later step depends on your blood sugar.
| Earliest week | Dose, once weekly | What the label says it is |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 2.5 mg | Starting dose. The label says it is for treatment initiation and is not intended for glycemic control. |
| 5 to 8 | 5 mg | Your first treatment dose: the label moves you to 5 mg after 4 weeks. |
| 9 to 12 | 7.5 mg | Only if you need more glycemic control, after at least 4 weeks on your current dose. |
| 13 to 16 | 10 mg | Same rule. Also the maximum dose for children aged 10 and older. |
| 17 to 20 | 12.5 mg | Same rule. |
| 21 and on | 15 mg | The maximum dose for adults. |
The weeks column shows the earliest the label allows, not a target. You inject once a week at any time of day, with or without meals, into your stomach or thigh, or into the back of your upper arm when someone else gives the injection. Rotate the site with each dose.
We read the Mounjaro prescribing information on DailyMed (version 1, effective July 29, 2026) on October 15, 2026.
What does each Mounjaro dose cost you?
On LillyDirect, you pay from $499 a month whether you are on 2.5 mg or 15 mg.
- LillyDirect self-payfrom $499per 28 days of single-dose pens, the same at every strength from 2.5 mg to 15 mg; prescription required
- Savings card, plan covers it$25as little as $25 for up to a 3-month prescription fill with commercial insurance that covers Mounjaro, capped at $450 per 3-month prescription
- Savings card, plan does notfrom $499for a 1-month fill with commercial insurance that does not cover Mounjaro
- List price$1,112.16per 28-day supply before any program
Mounjaro's price does not climb with your dose the way Zepbound's does. On LillyDirect, Zepbound runs from $299 at 2.5 mg to $449 at 7.5 mg and above. Government plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, are excluded from the savings card, and the card expires and savings end on December 31, 2026.
We checked LillyDirect's Mounjaro prices, the list price and the savings card terms on October 15, 2026.
Brand Mounjaro through a telehealth program
These programs dispense brand Mounjaro and publish a price with nothing left off it. Mounjaro is approved for type 2 diabetes, and a program that prescribes it only for weight loss is prescribing off-label.
- 1bmiMD7.2/10 · GoodChecked Oct 16, 2026; a rating claim didn't match Trustpilot.Mounjaro (brand-name) · lowest plan price, may need a longer plan · checked 2026-09-03$249/moCheck price
- 2DudeMeds5.2/10 · MixedChecked Oct 16, 2026; few independent reviews yet.Brand-name Zepbound or Mounjaro · monthly price · checked 2026-09-03$1350/moCheck price
- 3Eden Health GLP-17.8/10 · GoodChecked Oct 16, 2026.Brand Zepbound/Mounjaro/Ozempic (cash) · monthly price · checked 2026-08-28$1399/mo
- 4Wellorithm4.8/10 · LimitedChecked Oct 16, 2026; few independent reviews yet.Brand Mounjaro Pen · lowest plan price, may need a longer plan · checked 2026-10-16$1399/4 weeksCheck price
Sorted by verified price, not by who pays us. We may earn a commission from partners, and it never changes a score. How we rank. A compounded tirzepatide program prescribes the same milligrams from a vial and starts at $209/mo flat; it is a different route with no FDA-approved product behind it, covered on the tirzepatide dosage page. All 39 programs are in the tirzepatide price table.
What if you miss a Mounjaro dose?
You have 4 days to take a missed dose.
- Within 4 days (96 hours)
- Take the missed dose as soon as you can, then go back to your regular weekly day.
- More than 4 days
- Skip it and take your next dose on your regular day.
- Changing your day
- You can, as long as at least 3 days (72 hours) separate two doses.
From section 2 of the Mounjaro label, read on October 15, 2026.
How is the Mounjaro schedule different from Zepbound's?
The milligrams match, and the rules for climbing them differ.
- Same
- Tirzepatide from Eli Lilly, 2.5 mg to 15 mg in 2.5 mg steps, at least 4 weeks per step, once a week.
- Mounjaro
- Approved for type 2 diabetes. Each step past 5 mg depends on glycemic control. Children aged 10 and older stop at 10 mg.
- Zepbound
- Approved for chronic weight management and obstructive sleep apnea. The label names 5, 10 and 15 mg as maintenance doses.
- Compounded tirzepatide
- The same milligrams from a vial, where your volume depends on the concentration. Not FDA-approved.
The Zepbound schedule and the tirzepatide dosage page cover the other two in full.
Can you keep your Mounjaro dose if you switch providers?
Your new prescriber decides, and only a few programs say in public how they handle it.
Our dose-transfer table shows what each program we checked says about continuing your current dose, the proof it asks for and how long approval takes. Bring your prescription label and the date of your last injection.
Mounjaro dosage questions
What is the starting dose of Mounjaro?
2.5 mg injected under the skin once a week for 4 weeks. The label says the 2.5 mg dose is for treatment initiation and is not intended for glycemic control; after 4 weeks your dose goes up to 5 mg.
What is the Mounjaro dosing schedule?
2.5 mg once weekly for 4 weeks, then 5 mg. If you need more glycemic control, your prescriber can raise the dose in 2.5 mg steps after at least 4 weeks on each dose: 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg and 15 mg. Many people stay at 5 mg or 10 mg.
What is the highest dose of Mounjaro?
15 mg once weekly for adults, and 10 mg once weekly for children aged 10 years and older.
Is there a Mounjaro dosage chart for weight loss?
No. Mounjaro is approved to improve blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, and its label conditions every step past 5 mg on glycemic control. A Mounjaro prescription for weight loss alone is off-label. Zepbound is the same molecule approved for chronic weight management, and its schedule is on our Zepbound dosage page.
What if I miss a Mounjaro dose?
Take it as soon as you can within 4 days (96 hours) of the missed dose. If more than 4 days have passed, skip it and take your next dose on your regular day. You can change your weekly day as long as at least 3 days (72 hours) separate two doses.
Is the Mounjaro schedule the same as Zepbound's?
The milligrams are the same, 2.5 to 15 mg in 2.5 mg steps with at least 4 weeks per step, because both are tirzepatide from Eli Lilly. The rules differ: Zepbound is approved for weight management and names 5, 10 and 15 mg as maintenance doses; Mounjaro is approved for type 2 diabetes and conditions each step on glycemic control.
What does Mounjaro cost per dose without insurance?
LillyDirect lists Mounjaro single-dose pens for self-pay from $499 per 28-day supply at every strength, from 2.5 mg to 15 mg; you need a prescription. The list price is $1,112.16. With commercial insurance that covers it, the savings card is as little as $25 for up to a 3-month prescription fill with commercial insurance that covers Mounjaro. Checked October 15, 2026.
Dosing statements come from the Mounjaro prescribing information on DailyMed (version 1, effective July 29, 2026), read October 15, 2026. Prices come from Lilly on the same date. This page gives you information, not medical advice; your prescriber sets your dose.