Quick Answer

STI treatment costs span $0 to $400 typically: public clinics dispense many curative regimens free, generic doxycycline/metronidazole/azithromycin run $10–$40 with discount cards, ceftriaxone injections cost $50–$150 administered, and newer antivirals (hepatitis C DAAs without assistance) reach tens of thousands — nearly always covered via manufacturer programs instead.

  • Generic oral antibiotics: $5–$40 courses at major pharmacies with GoodRx-class discounts.
  • Penicillin G benzathine: $50–$200 per injection plus administration fees.
  • HIV ART: $2,000+/month retail — but ADAP programs, manufacturer assistance, and insurance bring patient cost near zero for most.
  • Hepatitis C cure courses: $25,000+ list prices collapse to $0-$5 copays through assistance programs universally available.

The Landscape

Sticker prices mislead systematically in this space: list-price anchoring hides assistance infrastructure built into American pharma economics. Almost nobody pays retail for serious regimens; almost everybody CAN afford generic cures.

Assistance navigation

Manufacturer patient-assistance portals, state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAP), 340B clinic pricing, and Needymeds-style aggregators cover essentially every scenario — ask clinic social workers who navigate this professionally.

Cost-versus-consequence framing

$30 chlamydia treatment prevents $10,000+ PID hospitalizations and lifetime infertility management — prevention economics justify zero hesitation whenever symptoms suggest infection.

Treatment Windows by Infection

Bacterial infections clear with antibiotics measured in days: single-dose azithromycin or a ceftriaxone shot for gonorrhea, seven days of doxycycline for chlamydia, penicillin injections for syphilis staged by duration. Viral infections play a longer game — suppressive antivirals for herpes, daily ART driving HIV to undetectable, and 8–12-week antiviral courses curing over 95% of hepatitis C cases.

⚕️ This page is educational and does not replace advice from a licensed clinician. If you may have been exposed to an STI, get tested — most infections are manageable, and many are fully curable.

Sources & Further Reading

Figures reflect CDC surveillance and WHO estimates; they are population statistics, not personal risk predictions.