What is the cost of a cremation?

Depending on the type you choose, a cremation can cost 40% less than a traditional burial. A direct cremation could cost you around $2,500, while a cremation with a funeral could cost around $6,900.

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Julia KaganContributing EditorJulia Kagan is a contributing editor at Policygenius, where she specializes in life insurance. Previously, Julia was the senior personal finance editor at Investopedia for nearly a decade, a vice president and editorial director at Consumer Reports, the editor of Psychology Today, and the vice president of content at Zagat Surveys.&Tory CrowleyAssociate Editor & Licensed Life Insurance AgentTory Crowley is an associate editor and a former licensed insurance agent at Policygenius. Previously, she worked directly with clients at Policygenius, advising nearly 3,000 of them on life insurance options. She has also worked at the Daily News and various nonprofit organizations.

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Antonio Ruiz-CamachoAntonio Ruiz-CamachoAssociate Content DirectorAntonio helps lead our life insurance and disability insurance editorial team at Policygenius. Previously, he was a senior director of content at Bankrate and CreditCards.com, as well as a principal writer covering personal finance at CNET.

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Cremations can be affordable, but adding on services — such as viewings, burials, or memorial services — can make end-of-life costs rise well into the thousands. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost of a funeral with a cremation was approximately $6,971 as of 2021, while the median cost of a funeral with a viewing and burial was $7,848. The median cost of a direct cremation without added services was around $2,500. [1]

Setting up a life insurance policy to cover these bills and formally spelling out your final wishes in a will can save your loved ones the burden of sorting out your end-of-life expenses and help ensure that your wishes are carried out.

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Key Takeaways

  • Cremations can be more affordable than traditional burials.

  • Direct cremations are generally cheaper than cremations with a funeral service, but the exact cost will depend on where you live and the services available in your area.

  • A final expense life insurance policy can help you ensure that your loved ones will have the means to cover your end-of-life expenses.

How much does a cremation cost?

The median cost of a direct cremation without a funeral service was about $2,455 as of 2021, according to the NDFA. 

Depending on the type of cremation you choose, cremations are usually around 40% less expensive than a traditional burial, according to the 2022 NFDA Cremation & Burial Report. Costs of funeral services and cremations are rising, but not quite keeping up with inflation. [2]

Service

Median Cost

Direct cremation without funeral service, with container supplied by family

$2,455

Direct cremation without funeral service, with container supplied by funeral home or crematorium

$2,550

Casket viewing with ceremony before cremation

$6,970

Cremation casket

$1,310

Alternative cremation container

$150

Urn

$295

Collapse table

Source: 2021 NFDA General Price List (most recent available); in 2022 NFDA Cremation & Burial Report

As you can see, the cost of cremation can end up being comparable to that of a burial service. And these costs don’t include a reception following a casket viewing for loved ones.

Types of cremation

As indicated in the chart above, there are two types of cremations to choose from:

  • Cremation with a funeral or memorial service

  • Direct cremation — a cremation that doesn’t include a memorial or funeral service

Cremation with a funeral or memorial service

Some people choose to have a traditional funeral service, after which the body is cremated rather than buried. Or, the cremation may happen first, with the remains buried as a part of the ceremony. A third option is a memorial service that happens some months later.

Cremations and a funeral service together aren’t quite as expensive as a funeral with a burial, but can still end up costing thousands. Based on the chart above, the median cost of a cremation with a funeral service was about $4,500 more than a direct cremation. Plus, those figures don’t factor in extra incidental costs like food, beverages, or floral arrangements.

The services included in these costs typically include:

  • Basic services charge

  • Removal and transfer of remains to the funeral home

  • Preparing the body (such as embalming)

  • Facility use and staff pay for viewing

  • Facility use and staff pay for ceremony

  • Transportation

  • Memorial package

  • Ceremonial cremation casket

  • Fee for cremation

  • Urn

Direct cremation

Direct cremations don’t include a memorial or funeral service, making them the least expensive option. After the body is cremated, the ashes are returned to the family, at which point they can choose to disperse them how (or where) they wish or keep them in an urn.

The costs of direct cremations usually include:

  • Transportation

  • Cremation and crematory costs

  • Storage

Direct cremations are more affordable than a traditional burial or cremation followed by a gathering. How much you’ll actually pay depends on where you live and the funeral options offered in your area.

For example, a direct cremation in Detroit, Michigan, might cost $925, while a cremation in Los Angeles could be as low as $595. Comparing the costs at multiple crematoriums is the best way to find the most affordable price.

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How to plan a cremation

Typically, funeral arrangements are made within days of a loved one’s passing. You can ease the financial and emotional burden on your loved ones by prepaying and pre-planning your final arrangements for them. Doing this also ensures that all of your final wishes can be carried out. 

There are a few main factors to take into account when creating an end-of-life plan.

  • Making arrangements in advance

  • Spelling out your wishes

  • Providing financial support

Pre-arranging your ceremony

How you plan your cremation is a deeply personal choice. You’ll want to consider not just the cost, but also the people who are mourning the loss of someone they love. 

Planning your end-of-life ceremony in advance may also help your loved ones account for all the available resources that they otherwise might not have known were available.

Specifying your final wishes

If you aren’t able to pre-arrange your end-of-life plans, you can still spell out your final wishes. Specifying your plan can help your family make important decisions on your behalf, especially if you want something like a sustainable cremation, which may require non-traditional arrangements.

If you’re leaving behind any assets or a life insurance death benefit, an end-of-life plan will enable your loved ones to locate and claim them in time to help with the new financial responsibilities that they’ll need to take on after you’re gone.

“Pre-planning … takes the burden off the family at the time of death and that actually fulfills the wishes of the deceased,” says Bob Jenkins, president and co-founder of Let Your Love Grow, a company specialized in creating living memorials using cremated ashes. “Financially, it usually helps because … all of a sudden the family is stuck with a pretty good-sized bill. If it’s pre-planned and funded properly, it’s such a burden taken away from that family.”

Ideally, leave your plans where they can be easily accessed after your death — with an attorney, financial advisor, funeral director, or the executor of your will. Using a professional ensures that your wishes are reviewed and taken into account, but sharing them with a trusted friend or relative can work, too.

Providing financial support

Cremations can be significantly cheaper than funerals, but if a celebration of life is a part of your plan, a memorial service can still put the cost of your final expenses into the thousands. You don’t want your loved ones taking out loans or dipping into their savings.

A life insurance policy is the best way to allow your family to properly grieve without suffering financial hardship. Even if you choose to have a direct cremation with no additional services, your savings might not cover all of your end-of-life expenses, including medical bills. 

Final expense life insurance policies are often used for this specific purpose, and can be a big help especially if you don’t have many other financial obligations your family would be responsible for in your absence.

→ Learn more about the different types of life insurance

FEMA assistance

Families who have lost a loved one due to COVID-19 may be eligible to get assistance from FEMA of up to $7,000. According to FEMA, this subsidy — which will be available through Sept. 30, 2025 — can cover:

  • Casket

  • Mortuary services

  • Transportation of the deceased 

  • Two death certificates 

  • Burial plot

  • Interment or cremation

→ Learn more about FEMA disaster assistance

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Preparing your family

Planning for death isn’t easy, but it’s an important conversation to have with your loved ones. Having a discussion can help them feel prepared to make decisions on your behalf, both on an emotional and financial level.

A trusted professional can help you set up a robust plan to protect your loved ones financially, while also arranging for your wishes to be carried out after you pass away. 

“The key to getting started is you have to talk about it. If you don’t talk about it, nothing’s going to happen,” says George Frankel, CEO of Eternal Reefs, a green cremation company based in Florida. “And by talking about it, you give your family one of the greatest gifts because the day you pass away is not the day that they should have to make all these decisions.”

Frequently asked questions

How much does a cremation cost?

The median cost of a direct cremation in the U.S. is $2,445 to $2,550, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. However, prices vary dramatically, depending on where you live and which type of services you use.

What is the cheapest way to be cremated?

A direct cremation with no memorial service is the least expensive way to be cremated.

Is it better to be buried or cremated?

Choosing between a burial and a cremation is a deeply personal decision. While a burial is a suitable option for some, individuals who want an eco-friendly or lower-priced option may prefer a cremation.

References

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  1. National Funeral Directors Association

    . "

    Statistics

    ." Accessed September 18, 2023.

  2. National Funeral Directors Association

    . "

    2021 NFDA General Price List Study Shows Funeral Costs Not Rising as Fast as Rate of Inflation

    ." Accessed September 18, 2023.

Authors

Julia Kagan is a contributing editor at Policygenius, where she specializes in life insurance. Previously, Julia was the senior personal finance editor at Investopedia for nearly a decade, a vice president and editorial director at Consumer Reports, the editor of Psychology Today, and the vice president of content at Zagat Surveys.

Tory Crowley is an associate editor and a former licensed insurance agent at Policygenius. Previously, she worked directly with clients at Policygenius, advising nearly 3,000 of them on life insurance options. She has also worked at the Daily News and various nonprofit organizations.

Editor

Antonio helps lead our life insurance and disability insurance editorial team at Policygenius. Previously, he was a senior director of content at Bankrate and CreditCards.com, as well as a principal writer covering personal finance at CNET.

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