Cremation vs. Burial: Cost Comparison and What's Included

If you're researching end-of-life arrangements, you probably have one urgent question: What will this actually cost? The answer depends on whether you choose burial or cremation, which provider you select, and what extras you add. This guide breaks down typical costs for both options and shows exactly what those prices include.

What You'll Pay: The Quick Numbers

The National Funeral Directors Association's 2023 General Price List Study provides the most recent nationwide data available as of 2025. Here are the median costs:

• Funeral with viewing and burial (excludes cemetery): $8,300
• Funeral with viewing and cremation: $6,280
• Funeral with viewing and burial, including vault: $9,995
• Direct cremation (no viewing or service): $1,500–$2,250

These are median figures. Half of families pay more, half pay less. Your location, provider, and choices determine your actual cost. Importantly, funeral home prices don't include cemetery property or memorialization, which we'll cover separately.

What Burial Includes and What Costs Extra

The Funeral Home Package

When you pay $8,300 for a burial with viewing, you typically receive:

• Basic services fee ($2,495): Funeral home coordination, overhead, and administrative requirements
• Transfer of remains ($395): Transportation to the funeral home
• Embalming ($845): Preservation of the body
• Other preparation ($295): Dressing, cosmetics, and presentation
• Viewing facility ($475): Space and staff for the viewing
• Service facility ($550): Venue and staff for the funeral
• Hearse ($175): Transportation to cemetery
• Printed materials ($195): Basic memorial folders or programs
• Casket ($2,000+): The single most variable expense, ranging from hundreds to many thousands

What the Funeral Home Doesn't Cover

Cemetery charges are separate. These additional costs surprise many families:

Cemetery plot: $1,000–$5,000+ depending on location. Metropolitan areas cost significantly more than rural ones.

Opening and closing fees: $300–$1,900+ for digging and closing the grave, plus ground maintenance.

Vault or liner: $1,695 on average. Many cemeteries require an outer burial container to prevent ground settling, though this varies by cemetery policy and sometimes state regulation.

Headstone or marker: $500–$5,000+. A simple flat marker costs less than an upright monument. Some cemeteries restrict marker types.

These cemetery expenses can add $3,000–$8,000 or more to your total.

Cost Drivers That Matter Most

Three choices have the biggest impact on burial costs:

Casket selection: The difference between a basic model and an upgraded metal or handcrafted wood casket can be several thousand dollars.

Cemetery location: Urban plots in high-demand cemeteries cost substantially more than rural or community cemeteries.

Cemetery requirements: Some cemeteries mandate specific vault materials or have strict marker regulations that limit your options and affect pricing.

What Cremation Includes and What Costs Extra

Cremation with Viewing and Service

At $6,280, a cremation funeral with viewing includes nearly the same services as burial:

• Basic services fee
• Transfer of remains
• Body preparation (embalming is optional but often used for viewing)
• Viewing and service facilities
• Printed materials
• Crematory fee ($400): The actual cremation process when the funeral home uses a third-party crematory
• Alternative cremation container ($160): A combustible container used instead of a casket
• Basic urn ($295): A simple container for the ashes

The main difference from burial is the cremation process itself and the container type. Everything else can be identical, including the ceremony.

Direct Cremation: The Simplest Option

Direct cremation costs $1,500–$2,250 nationally. The body is cremated shortly after death with no viewing or service at the funeral home. You receive:

• Basic services and permits
• Transfer of remains
• Cremation fee
• Ashes returned in a temporary container

Direct cremation excludes embalming, viewing or ceremony space, upgraded urns, obituary placement, flowers, reception costs, and cemetery fees. Many families choose this option then hold a memorial service later at a location and time that works better for gathering relatives.

Additional Cremation Expenses

After cremation, you may face these costs:

Urn upgrades: $100–$1,000+ for decorative containers or multiple keepsake urns for family members.

Cemetery niche: Fees vary widely if you choose to place ashes in a cemetery columbarium or memorial garden.

Scattering permits: Some jurisdictions require permits for scattering ashes. Rules vary significantly by state and locality.

Memorialization: Benches, plaques, or other permanent markers at scattering sites add to costs.

Check your state and local regulations before making ash-scattering plans. What's permitted varies dramatically by location.

How the Options Compare

Service Components Side by Side

Both burial and cremation can include the same ceremony elements. The difference is what happens to the body afterward.

Both typically include:

• Funeral home professional services
• Body preparation when requested
• Viewing and service facilities
• Transportation

Where they differ:

• Burial: Casket (purchased) → grave → interment fees → plot/vault/marker costs
• Cremation: Alternative container (included) → cremation fee → ash return → optional niche/scattering costs

Real-World Cost Scenarios

Traditional burial service:

• Funeral home package: $8,300
• Cemetery plot: $2,750
• Opening/closing: $900
• Vault: $1,695
• Headstone: $2,000
• Total: $15,645+

Service with cremation:

• Funeral home package: $6,280
• Upgraded urn: $300
• Cemetery niche fee: $800
• Total: $7,380+

Direct cremation with later memorial:

• Direct cremation: $2,000
• Separate memorial (venue/food): $500
• Scattering permit: $50
• Total: $2,550+

These represent typical ranges, not fixed prices. Your location and choices significantly affect the final total.

Why Prices Vary

Geography Makes a Difference

Regional patterns are clear:

Northeast: Burial averages $8,500–$9,000
South: Burial averages $6,700–$8,000
Cremation: Runs about $2,000 less than burial across all regions

High costs in California and New York contrast sharply with lower prices in many Southern and Midwestern states. Metropolitan areas consistently cost more than rural communities.

State Rules and Cemetery Policies

Embalming requirements: Some states require embalming if a public viewing occurs or if disposition is delayed beyond a certain timeframe. Others have no legal requirement. Funeral homes must tell you what the law mandates versus what they prefer.

Cemetery policies: Individual cemeteries set their own rules about vaults, liners, and markers. These are business policies, not laws, though some states do regulate certain cemetery practices.

Permits and fees: Local governments charge different amounts for death certificates, burial permits, and cremation authorizations.

Always ask what's required by law versus what's required by the funeral home or cemetery.

Your Choices Control Costs

The decisions with the most financial impact:

• Viewing or no viewing (affects preparation and facility fees)
• Casket or urn type
• Cemetery property purchase
• Number of vehicles and staff
• Personalization (video tributes, special printing, catering)

Your Rights and How to Compare

The General Price List

The Federal Trade Commission Funeral Rule protects consumers:

• Funeral homes must provide an itemized General Price List (GPL) when requested
• You can compare direct cremation and immediate burial prices without visiting in person
• No federal law requires purchasing a casket for cremation
• Embalming is not federally required unless state law says otherwise
• You can buy caskets or urns from third-party sellers

These rights let you shop and compare without pressure.

Questions Worth Asking

Request from each provider:

• Written itemized estimate showing included and excluded items
• List of cash-advance items (permits, obituary, clergy, cemetery) and who sets those prices
• Whether crematory fees are included or billed separately
• What's required by law, by the funeral home, and by the cemetery
• Timeline constraints before refrigeration or embalming becomes necessary
• Options for services without embalming

Comparing Quotes Fairly

To compare accurately:

1. Match service levels (direct vs. with viewing)
2. Confirm container types (purchased casket vs. rental vs. cremation container)
3. Separate funeral home costs from cemetery costs
4. Clarify optional versus required items

Making Your Choice

No universal "right" answer exists. Consider what matters most:

Budget: Direct cremation offers the lowest, most predictable cost. Traditional burial involves more variables.

Timing: Cremation lets you hold a memorial service whenever works best. Burial typically requires coordination with cemetery schedules.

Location: Burial provides a permanent gravesite. Cremation offers flexibility—scattering, keeping ashes at home, or cemetery placement.

Personal meaning: Your preferences and family traditions matter more than external pressure. Either option can be simple or elaborate based on what you choose.

The cost reflects the services and merchandise you select, not just the method itself.

Next Steps

Burial costs more than cremation primarily due to cemetery property, caskets, vaults, and markers. Traditional burial with viewing runs $8,300 for funeral home services plus $3,000–$8,000+ for cemetery expenses. Cremation with viewing costs $6,280 for funeral home services with fewer cemetery costs. Direct cremation remains the most affordable at $1,500–$2,250.

Start by requesting General Price Lists from local funeral homes, confirming cemetery or crematory requirements in your area, and consulting licensed professionals about legal or financial questions.

Remember: This information reflects national median data from the 2023 NFDA General Price List Study, verified current as of 2025. Costs and requirements vary by state, jurisdiction, and provider. Consult licensed funeral directors, attorneys, or financial advisors for guidance specific to your situation.