Mausoleum Cost: Average Fees Explained

A mausoleum is an above-ground building for entombment. Instead of digging a grave, the cemetery places the casket or urn in a crypt or niche inside a structure. Families choose it for reasons of tradition, climate, space, or preference.

There are two very different purchases under the same name. A community mausoleum is a shared building where you buy a single crypt or niche. A private mausoleum is a freestanding structure built for a family. The prices below are separated so you can tell which one a quote refers to.

A single community crypt for one casket is quoted at $3,600 – $25,000, and a companion crypt for two caskets at $7,200 – $60,000. A side-by-side crypt, sometimes called a couch crypt, is quoted at $15,000 – $70,000. For cremated remains, a single niche is the more affordable choice, at $750 – $7,000.

Private structures are a different scale. A small private mausoleum is quoted at $17,000 – $75,000, and a two-crypt installed private mausoleum at $50,000 – $125,000. These totals depend on the design, the stone, the site preparation, and the cemetery's approval process.

Buying the crypt rarely covers everything. The cemetery charges separately for placing the casket and for marking the space.

A standard entombment fee is typically $850 – $2,700, and inscribing the crypt front costs $550 – $3,600.

Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn gives a real price list as an example. It is a large urban cemetery, and prices vary widely by region, so do not treat it as a national figure. There, casket entombment in a community mausoleum crypt is $1,618, and a single community mausoleum entombment is $50,000.

Sources give different ranges for community crypts. Cemetery.com reports $4,000 – $8,000 for a public mausoleum crypt, and Elayne reports $2,000 – $8,000. ThePricer reports a wider range of $3,600 – $25,000. A crypt at eye level usually costs more than one near the floor or ceiling, and the building's age, location, and the cemetery's pricing all play a part.

• Crypt height: Crypts at eye level and in prime locations are priced higher.
• Companion versus single: Spaces for two cost more than a space for one.
• Region and cemetery: Urban and historic cemeteries price higher.
• Indoor or outdoor: Climate-controlled indoor buildings may differ from outdoor structures.
• Inscription: The crypt front is lettered, and the style adds cost.
• Private construction: Stone, design, foundation, and permits drive the price of a freestanding structure.
• Perpetual care: Ask whether upkeep is included or billed separately.

Entombment and burial are priced differently, and neither is always lower.

• Mausoleum crypt: Priced per crypt, with no digging. Some families prefer that the space is above ground.
• Ground burial: The plot, opening and closing, a vault, and a marker are each billed, so the total depends on the cemetery.
• Niche: The most affordable entombment option for cremated remains in the quotes above.

To compare fairly, ask each cemetery for the total with all fees included, not only the cost of the space.

• Is the quote for the crypt only, or does it include entombment and inscription?
• Which crypt level and location are you being offered?
• Is perpetual care included?
• Can the crypt be resold or refunded if plans change?
• Are there rules on the type of casket or the size of the remains container?
• What does the contract say about payment plans and transfers?

Read the contract closely and consult a licensed professional if you have legal or financial questions. Plans for a private mausoleum will usually need approval from the cemetery before building begins.