Funeral Cost Calculator
Estimate the cost of a funeral, burial, or cremation in your state. See a line-item breakdown and explore practical ways to plan for the expense.
Get My Cost RangeNFDA SOURCED DATA
50-STATE ESTIMATES
100% FREE
NO EMAIL FOR ESTIMATE
Quick Answer: What Does a Funeral Cost?
Based on the latest available NFDA pricing data, a funeral with viewing and burial is commonly estimated around $8,300 nationally. A funeral with cremation runs about $6,280. A direct cremation (no service) is around $2,500. Actual cost varies by funeral home, cemetery fees, and location.
$8,300
Burial w/ Viewing
$6,280
Cremation w/ Service
$3,500
Direct Burial
$2,500
Direct Cremation
Source: NFDA General Price List Report (2023, latest publicly available). National median figures; your state may be higher or lower.
Estimate Your Funeral Cost
A few quick questions. No email required.
Please select a state.
2What type of service?
Please choose a service type.
3Service level?Basic = no-frills, Standard = typical, Full = premium casket/urn and extras
Please pick a service level.
Estimates are for planning purposes only and not a binding quote. See methodology below.
RyCo Life Solutions
Licensed Insurance Brokerage · (314) 876-0334 · rycolifesolutions.com
Your Funeral Cost Estimate
Based on your selections
Planning range: This is a modeled estimate based on industry pricing data. Actual costs depend on the funeral home, casket/urn choices, and local cemetery fees. Request a written General Price List from any funeral home before signing a contract (your right under the FTC Funeral Rule).
Estimated Total Range
$0 – $0 – $0
Low / Median / High
Summary:
Based on this estimate, a practical planning target may be $0.
Optional Free Download
Put Your Wishes in One Place
Get our free Final Wishes Planning Guide. Covers what to document, who to tell, and how to document your wishes clearly so your family doesn't have to guess.
Download Final Wishes GuideFree download — no email required.
Funeral Cost & Planning FAQ
A typical traditional funeral includes the basic services fee, embalming and body preparation, viewing or visitation, the funeral ceremony, transportation (hearse and service vehicle), the casket, the cemetery plot, a vault or grave liner if required, and a headstone or grave marker. Cremation services typically include the basic services fee, the cremation itself, an urn, and optionally a memorial service. Our calculator breaks each of these down as a line item.
Cremation skips several major cost components of a traditional burial: a casket suitable for burial is not required (a basic urn replaces it), no cemetery plot is needed, no vault or grave liner is needed, and no headstone is needed. Even when cremation is followed by a full memorial service, the elimination of the casket, plot, and burial-related costs typically saves families thousands of dollars compared to a traditional burial.
Burial insurance is a whole life insurance policy designed to cover funeral and final expenses. The death benefit is paid in cash to your named beneficiary, who can use it for any funeral home, any service, or anything else the family needs. A prepaid funeral plan (also called a preneed contract) is a contract directly with a specific funeral home where you pay for services in advance at today's prices. Prepaid plans lock you to that funeral home and don't leave any cash for your family. Burial insurance may offer more flexibility; prepaid plans may offer more price-lock certainty.
A common rule of thumb is to cover the estimated cost of your funeral plus a small buffer for inflation and unexpected expenses. Our calculator suggests a coverage amount rounded up to the next thousand dollars above your estimated funeral cost. Most families purchase $10,000 to $25,000 in coverage depending on whether they're planning a basic cremation, a traditional burial, or want extra funds left over for the family.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to provide consumers with itemized price lists and prohibits them from requiring you to buy package deals. You have the right to choose only the goods and services you want, get prices over the phone, and receive a written General Price List before discussing arrangements. This federal protection is why funeral homes must give you a GPL when you ask — we strongly recommend collecting GPLs from 2-3 funeral homes before making any commitment.
Many people with health conditions can still find burial insurance options. Some policies use simplified underwriting (a short health questionnaire, no medical exam), while others may offer guaranteed-issue coverage with graded benefits during the first 2–3 years. Availability, pricing, and waiting periods depend on age, state, health history, and the specific carrier. A licensed RyCo broker can help match your health profile to the carrier most likely to approve at the best rate.
Our calculator uses the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) General Price List Report for baseline costs, then applies regional adjustments and the service options you select. The estimate represents a typical planning range — actual quotes from individual funeral homes vary based on their pricing, the specific casket or urn you choose, and local market conditions. Treat the estimate as a planning tool, not a binding quote, and always request a written General Price List (GPL) from any funeral home before making decisions.
Methodology & Sources
This calculator estimates funeral costs using publicly available industry data:
- Baseline costs: NFDA General Price List Report (2023, latest publicly available) for line-item funeral pricing
- Location adjustments: Modeled regional cost differences applied to the national baseline. Treat state-level figures as planning ranges, not funeral-home quotes
- Service-level adjustments: Basic / Standard / Full applied as cost multipliers reflecting typical casket, urn, and merchandise tier differences
- Burial insurance estimates: Industry-average simplified-issue whole life rates across major final-expense carriers (Mutual of Omaha, AIG, Aetna, GTL, Royal Neighbors of America, and others). Hypothetical examples only, not a quote
- Prepaid plan calculation: Estimated funeral cost divided over a 5-year payment plan, plus a typical 5% administrative carry
- Regulatory framework: Pricing transparency follows the FTC Funeral Rule standards
Estimates are for informational and planning purposes only and do not constitute a binding quote. Always request a written General Price List (GPL) from any funeral home before signing a contract.
Disclaimer: The estimates produced by this calculator are for informational and planning purposes only. They do not constitute a binding quote, an insurance offer, or financial advice. Actual funeral costs depend on the specific funeral home you choose, the casket or urn selected, optional services, cemetery fees, and your state's specific market conditions. Burial insurance and prepaid funeral plan estimates are hypothetical examples based on industry averages and are not guaranteed; actual rates depend on health underwriting, carrier-specific rate tables, and state regulations. RyCo Life Solutions is a licensed insurance brokerage and does not sell funeral services directly. Always request a written General Price List (GPL) from any funeral home before making commitments, as required by the FTC Funeral Rule. Consult a licensed insurance agent for personalized burial insurance quotes and a tax professional for tax-related questions.