10 Facts About Prescription Drug Prices India

8. Regional and urban–rural price differences

Prices and access can vary across India’s states and between cities and rural areas. Distribution costs, local taxes, and the density of pharmacies influence retail pricing. Urban areas with many competing pharmacies often show lower retail margins and more brand choices. In contrast, remote or rural outlets can have smaller stocks, higher transportation costs, and less competition, which sometimes pushes prices up for the same medicines. State-level procurement choices and public-health programs also create regional differences in what patients pay. For families outside major cities, the challenge is both price and supply reliability; even if a medicine is cheaper in principle, local availability can affect what people actually pay and where they find treatment.