Average Funeral Costs in the US (and How to Save)

Funerals are expensive — and most families make these purchases under time pressure and emotional stress, without the ability to shop around effectively. Understanding typical costs and where the money goes gives you the information you need to make thoughtful decisions without overpaying.

The National Averages

According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), the median costs in 2023 were:

• Funeral with viewing and burial: approximately $8,300 (funeral home services only, not including cemetery costs)
• Funeral with viewing and cremation: approximately $6,971
• Direct cremation (no service): $700–$2,500

When you add cemetery costs — grave plot, opening and closing fee, grave marker — total burial costs often reach $12,000–$15,000 or more in major metropolitan areas.

Itemized Cost Breakdown

Under the FTC Funeral Rule, funeral homes must provide itemized pricing. Here are typical price ranges for common items:

Non-declinable basic services fee

$2,000–$3,500. This covers the funeral home's overhead, coordination, and administrative services. It applies to virtually every funeral — you cannot opt out of it.

Transportation

• Transfer of remains from place of death: $300–$600
• Hearse for funeral service: $300–$500
• Family car (limousine): $200–$450

Preparation of the body

• Embalming: $700–$1,000 (not required by federal law; check state requirements)
• Cosmetic preparation (without embalming): $200–$500
• Dressing and casketing: $150–$350

Facilities and equipment

• Viewing/visitation: $400–$900
• Funeral or memorial service: $500–$1,000
• Graveside service: $200–$400

Casket

• Basic cloth-covered casket: $1,000–$2,500
• Standard metal casket: $2,000–$5,000
• Premium metal or hardwood casket: $5,000–$10,000+
• Costco/online caskets: $900–$2,500 (funeral home must accept these; no handling fee permitted)

Urn (for cremation)

• Basic urn: $50–$200
• Standard funeral home urn: $200–$500
• Premium urn: $500–$2,000+
• Online urns: significantly cheaper than funeral home pricing

Cemetery costs (separate from funeral home)

• Grave plot: $1,000–$5,000+ (highly variable by location and cemetery type)
• Opening and closing the grave: $700–$2,000
• Grave liner or vault: $1,000–$2,000 (required by most cemeteries, not by law)
• Grave marker/headstone: $500–$3,000 for standard markers
• Mausoleum crypt: $4,000–$20,000+

Obituary

$0–$1,500+ depending on the newspaper and length. Online obituaries (funeral home website, Legacy.com) are typically free or low-cost.

Ways to Reduce Funeral Costs

Choose direct cremation

The most significant cost reduction. A direct cremation (no viewing, no funeral service before cremation) costs $700–$2,500 and bypasses most funeral home expenses. A memorial service can still be held afterward — at any location, with any format, without the time pressure of a traditional funeral.

Buy the casket elsewhere

Caskets from Costco, online retailers, and warehouse stores are identical in quality to funeral home caskets for far less money. The FTC requires funeral homes to accept caskets purchased elsewhere.

Choose a simpler casket

The $10,000 casket and the $2,000 casket both serve the same function. Funeral home showrooms are designed to make families feel that choosing a less expensive casket is dishonoring the deceased — resist this pressure.

Skip embalming (usually)

Embalming is not required by federal law and is rarely required by state law (usually only for interstate transportation or delayed services). If the service is held within a few days, refrigeration is an effective alternative.

Pre-plan and pre-pay

Pre-planning a funeral locks in current prices. Many funeral homes offer pre-payment plans. This removes decision-making from grieving family members and can reduce costs. However, research the funeral home's financial stability and ensure funds are protected in a trust account.

Consider Green burial

Green (natural) burial skips embalming, metal caskets, and concrete vaults. Costs are significantly lower than traditional burial — often $1,500–$3,500 for the burial itself, with additional cemetery costs.

Financial Assistance

For families who cannot afford funeral costs:

• Social Security lump-sum death payment: $255 (apply promptly — this does not cover much but helps)
• VA burial benefits: Up to $2,000 for service-connected death; up to $948 for non-service-connected death for veterans with service-connected disability; up to $509 for other eligible veterans (2024 amounts)
• State or county indigent burial programs: Most states provide for basic burial or cremation for families who cannot pay. Contact the county medical examiner or department of social services.
• Funeral home payment plans: Many funeral homes offer payment plans — ask

For more on funeral planning, see our step-by-step funeral planning guide and our complete funeral planning guide.