U.S. cities with the highest, lowest prescription drug costs

Patients in San Francisco pay 18.3 percent more than the national average for prescription drugs, making it the most expensive city for prescription medications, according to a list recently published by online drug price comparison platform GoodRx. 

To compile its list, GoodRx examined the prices of the 500 most common prescriptions in 30 of the country's most populous cities.

Here are the five most expensive cities for prescription medications:

1. San Francisco — 18.3 percent above the national average price
   
   
2. New York City — 17.2 percent above the national average price
   
   
3. Los Angeles — 15.7 percent above the national average price
   
   
4. New Orleans — 13.2 percent above the national average price
   
   
5. Milwaukee — 11.1 percent above the national average price

Here are the five least expensive cities for prescription medications:

1. Denver — 33.8 percent below the national average price
   
   
2. Houston — 20.9 percent below the national average price
   
   
3. Atlanta — 19.9 percent below the national average price
   
   
4. Cincinnati — 17.7 percent below the national average price
   
   
5. Salt Lake City — 16.3 percent below the national average price