Funeral cost
How Much Does a Funeral Cost?
Reviewed by the Plainfare editorial team · Updated June 1, 2026
Funeral pricing is one of the largest purchases most families make under time pressure and grief, and it is also one of the least transparent. According to the National Funeral Directors Association 2023 General Price List Study, the national median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial was about 8,300 dollars, and a funeral with cremation was about 6,280 dollars. Those medians exclude cemetery, vault, and monument costs, so the real total is often higher. National medians are a starting point. What matters for your decision is the price at the specific funeral homes near you.
What goes into the price
Every funeral home must disclose its prices on a General Price List, item by item. The single fee you cannot decline is the basic services fee, which covers the funeral director and staff for planning, permits, and coordination. Everything else, such as embalming, viewing facilities, a casket, a hearse, and ceremony space, is optional and priced separately.
Because items are priced separately, two funeral homes in the same city can quote very different totals for what looks like the same service. The difference between a fair price and a high one is frequently several thousand dollars.
How to pay less without cutting what matters
Get itemized prices from at least three funeral homes before you commit. You can get prices by phone without giving your name. Decide which items you actually want rather than buying a package. You may buy a casket or urn from a third party, and the funeral home must use it without a handling fee.
If a ceremony with viewing is not essential to your family, direct cremation or immediate burial removes the most expensive optional items and can lower the total substantially.
Common questions
What is the average cost of a funeral in the US?
The NFDA 2023 General Price List Study put the national median for a funeral with viewing and burial at about 8,300 dollars, and a funeral with cremation at about 6,280 dollars. These medians exclude cemetery, vault, and marker costs, so the real total is usually higher. Local prices vary widely.
Why are funeral prices so different between providers?
Funeral homes price each item separately and set their own prices. Two providers in the same city can quote totals that differ by thousands for similar services, which is why comparing itemized prices matters.
What is the one fee I cannot avoid?
The basic services fee. It is the only non-declinable fee a funeral home is allowed to require, and it must be listed on the General Price List.
Can I really get prices over the phone?
Yes. The FTC Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to give price information by phone to anyone who asks. The FTC guide for funeral homes says they cannot require your name, address, or phone number before they answer, and must answer even if you decline to give them.
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