Cost Guide
How much does a burial cost?
A traditional burial with funeral service averages $9,000–$12,000 nationally — but the range is enormous. Here are the real numbers broken down, so you can make an informed decision.
National averages
2026 estimates. Actual costs vary significantly by location, cemetery, and choices made.
What you are actually paying for
Burial costs come from multiple providers — the funeral home AND the cemetery charge separately.
| Line item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Funeral home basic services | $2,000–$3,500 |
| Embalming | $500–$900 |
| Casket | $1,500–$10,000+ |
| Burial plot / grave space | $1,000–$5,000 |
| Opening and closing of grave | $800–$2,000 |
| Outer burial container / vault | $1,000–$3,000 |
| Headstone / marker | $500–$5,000 |
| Death certificates (10–12 copies) | $70–$360 |
Burial costs by state
Ranges represent typical low-to-high for each state. Cemetery prices are not included in some ranges.
| State | Green Burial | Traditional | Full Funeral | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $1,500–$3,000 | $6,000–$10,000 | $8,000–$14,000 | State guide → |
| Alaska | $2,500–$5,000 | $9,000–$16,000 | $12,000–$20,000 | State guide → |
| Arizona | $1,800–$3,500 | $7,000–$13,000 | $9,000–$16,000 | State guide → |
| Arkansas | $1,400–$2,800 | $5,500–$10,000 | $7,500–$13,000 | State guide → |
| California | $2,500–$5,000 | $9,000–$18,000 | $12,000–$22,000 | State guide → |
| Colorado | $2,000–$4,000 | $7,500–$14,000 | $10,000–$17,000 | State guide → |
| Connecticut | $2,500–$4,500 | $9,000–$17,000 | $11,000–$20,000 | State guide → |
| Delaware | $2,000–$4,000 | $7,500–$14,000 | $10,000–$17,000 | State guide → |
| Florida | $1,800–$3,500 | $7,000–$13,000 | $9,000–$16,000 | State guide → |
| Georgia | $1,600–$3,200 | $6,500–$12,000 | $8,500–$15,000 | State guide → |
| Hawaii | $3,000–$6,000 | $10,000–$19,000 | $13,000–$23,000 | State guide → |
| Idaho | $1,500–$3,000 | $6,000–$11,000 | $8,000–$14,000 | State guide → |
| Illinois | $2,000–$4,000 | $8,000–$14,500 | $10,000–$18,000 | State guide → |
| Indiana | $1,500–$3,000 | $6,500–$12,000 | $8,500–$15,000 | State guide → |
| Iowa | $1,400–$2,800 | $6,000–$11,000 | $8,000–$14,000 | State guide → |
| Kansas | $1,400–$2,800 | $5,500–$11,000 | $7,500–$14,000 | State guide → |
| Kentucky | $1,400–$2,800 | $5,500–$10,500 | $7,500–$13,500 | State guide → |
| Louisiana | $1,600–$3,200 | $6,500–$12,000 | $8,500–$15,000 | State guide → |
| Maine | $1,800–$3,500 | $7,000–$13,000 | $9,000–$16,000 | State guide → |
| Maryland | $2,200–$4,200 | $8,000–$15,000 | $10,500–$18,000 | State guide → |
| Massachusetts | $2,500–$5,000 | $9,500–$17,000 | $12,000–$21,000 | State guide → |
| Michigan | $1,800–$3,500 | $7,000–$13,000 | $9,000–$16,000 | State guide → |
| Minnesota | $2,000–$4,000 | $7,500–$14,000 | $10,000–$17,000 | State guide → |
| Mississippi | $1,300–$2,600 | $5,500–$10,000 | $7,000–$13,000 | State guide → |
| Missouri | $1,600–$3,200 | $6,500–$12,000 | $8,500–$15,000 | State guide → |
| Montana | $1,600–$3,200 | $6,000–$11,500 | $8,000–$14,500 | State guide → |
| Nebraska | $1,500–$3,000 | $6,000–$11,000 | $8,000–$14,000 | State guide → |
| Nevada | $2,000–$4,000 | $7,500–$14,000 | $10,000–$17,000 | State guide → |
| New Hampshire | $2,000–$4,000 | $8,000–$15,000 | $10,000–$18,000 | State guide → |
| New Jersey | $2,500–$5,000 | $9,000–$17,000 | $12,000–$21,000 | State guide → |
| New Mexico | $1,600–$3,200 | $6,500–$12,000 | $8,500–$15,000 | State guide → |
| New York | $3,000–$6,000 | $10,000–$20,000 | $13,000–$25,000 | State guide → |
| North Carolina | $1,500–$3,000 | $6,500–$12,000 | $8,500–$15,000 | State guide → |
| North Dakota | $1,300–$2,600 | $5,500–$10,500 | $7,500–$13,500 | State guide → |
| Ohio | $1,600–$3,200 | $7,000–$13,000 | $9,000–$16,000 | State guide → |
| Oklahoma | $1,500–$3,000 | $6,000–$11,000 | $8,000–$14,000 | State guide → |
| Oregon | $2,000–$4,000 | $8,000–$15,000 | $10,500–$18,000 | State guide → |
| Pennsylvania | $2,000–$4,000 | $7,500–$14,000 | $10,000–$17,500 | State guide → |
| Rhode Island | $2,000–$4,000 | $8,000–$15,000 | $10,500–$18,000 | State guide → |
| South Carolina | $1,500–$3,000 | $6,500–$12,000 | $8,500–$15,000 | State guide → |
| South Dakota | $1,300–$2,600 | $5,500–$10,500 | $7,500–$13,500 | State guide → |
| Tennessee | $1,500–$3,000 | $6,500–$12,000 | $8,500–$15,000 | State guide → |
| Texas | $1,800–$3,500 | $7,000–$14,000 | $9,000–$17,000 | State guide → |
| Utah | $1,800–$3,500 | $7,000–$13,000 | $9,000–$16,000 | State guide → |
| Vermont | $1,800–$3,500 | $7,500–$14,000 | $9,500–$17,000 | State guide → |
| Virginia | $2,000–$3,800 | $7,500–$14,000 | $9,500–$17,000 | State guide → |
| Washington | $2,000–$4,500 | $8,000–$15,000 | $10,500–$18,000 | State guide → |
| West Virginia | $1,300–$2,600 | $5,500–$10,500 | $7,500–$13,500 | State guide → |
| Wisconsin | $1,800–$3,500 | $7,000–$13,000 | $9,000–$16,000 | State guide → |
| Wyoming | $1,300–$2,600 | $5,500–$10,500 | $7,500–$13,500 | State guide → |
Prices sourced from funeral home surveys and cemetery data, 2025–2026. Verify with local providers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost of a burial in the United States?
A traditional burial with full funeral service averages $9,000–$12,000 nationally. This includes funeral home services, casket, burial plot, opening and closing fees, and a grave liner. Green or natural burial can cost significantly less — typically $1,500–$4,000.
Do I have to buy a casket from the funeral home?
No. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, funeral homes must accept a casket you purchase from a third party and cannot charge you a handling fee for doing so. Buying a casket from a retailer or online can save $1,000–$5,000 compared to funeral home prices.
What is green burial and how much does it cost?
Green burial skips embalming, uses a biodegradable casket or shroud, and forgoes a concrete vault. The body returns naturally to the earth. It typically costs $1,500–$4,000 — significantly less than traditional burial — and is available at a growing number of cemeteries across the US.
What is included in funeral home basic services fees?
Funeral home basic services fees ($2,000–$3,500) cover staff time, overhead, coordination, and planning. This fee is non-negotiable and appears on every funeral home's General Price List. All other services — embalming, viewing, transportation — are itemized separately.
Is embalming required by law?
Embalming is not legally required in most US states. Funeral homes may require it for certain situations — such as if there will be a viewing or if the body will be transported across state lines — but they must disclose this in writing. Always ask whether it is actually necessary.
Once you've made the arrangements, the paperwork begins.
FuneralFlow organizes all 47 government forms, legal deadlines, and documents in one place. Free to start.