Funerals Cost: Average Fees Explained

Planning a funeral usually happens in a few days and under stress, which makes the price hard to judge. The total depends on the type of service, the funeral home, and the choices you make about the casket, the ceremony, and the final resting place.

This page covers the cost of the funeral itself. For the cemetery side of a burial, including the plot, the vault, and the headstone, see the separate burial cost guide. Prices vary by region, so the amounts here are national medians and ranges, not quotes.

The biggest factor is whether the family chooses burial or cremation, and how much of a service is held.

A funeral with cremation had a median cost of $6,280 in 2023. A funeral with burial and a vault had a median of $9,995. Direct cremation, which has no viewing or ceremony, sits at $1,000 – $3,500, and cremation with a memorial service runs $4,000 – $7,000. A traditional burial with a viewing and casket, with cemetery fees included, comes to $12,500 – $17,500.

Funeral homes list their prices item by item. The figures below are national medians from the National Funeral Directors Association for 2023.

The basic services fee is $2,495. It covers the funeral director's work, planning, and paperwork, and it is charged no matter what else you choose. Embalming is $845, and the use of facilities and staff for a ceremony adds $550. A hearse is $375. If you choose burial, a metal casket is $2,500 and a burial vault is $1,695.

Embalming is not always required. Whether it is needed depends on the circumstances and state rules, and the funeral home should be able to explain when it applies.

Several charges are paid to other parties, so they may be missing from the funeral home's price list. Typical examples include the cemetery or crematory, flowers, an obituary notice, death certificates, and payment for clergy or musicians. Ask the funeral home which items it handles on your behalf, and which you will pay directly.

Sources give different totals for the same event.

One source reports the median at $8,300, while another gives $8,300 – $9,995 depending on whether a vault is included. A third lists $8,000 – $15,000, a wider band that reflects regional price differences and different service choices. The figures describe different scopes. Some include a vault and cemetery fees, and others do not. When comparing, check which services each number covers.

Location also matters. Funeral homes in large metropolitan areas often charge more than those in smaller towns, and the casket you choose can move the total more than any other single item.

Cremation generally costs less than burial because it removes the casket, vault, and cemetery plot from the bill. Families can still hold a viewing or ceremony before cremation, which moves the price up toward the burial range. Some families choose cremation first and a memorial service later, once relatives can travel, which spreads out the cost and the planning.

Burial brings the cemetery into the picture. Those charges, including the plot, grave opening, and headstone, are covered in the burial cost guide and are not part of the funeral home figures above.

Funeral homes in the United States must follow the Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule. In general, you have the right to receive a general price list when you ask about goods and services, to choose only the items you want, and to be told what is legally required. You can compare prices across funeral homes before committing, including by phone. The FTC explains the rule at ftc.gov.

• Request the general price list from more than one funeral home before deciding.
• Choose only the services you want. Direct cremation or a simple service costs less than a traditional funeral with a viewing.
• Hold a memorial service at a church, home, or park instead of the funeral home.
• Buy a casket or urn only after you have seen the prices. Funeral homes must accept a casket bought elsewhere under the Funeral Rule.
• Ask family members and friends to help with flowers, food, and music.

If the deceased had a pre-paid plan or life insurance, check those documents before you pay anything.