Average Cremation Costs in 2020: What You'll Pay

More families are choosing cremation over a traditional funeral these days, and cost is a big part of why. Cremation is often less expensive than a conventional burial, and while it's not the only reason families lean this way, the savings can matter a great deal to a household's budget.

Cremation prices shift depending on where you live, what extras you add, and how much you personalize the service. Funeral homes tend to offer their own packages, so no two quotes look exactly alike. By reviewing pricing information gathered from roughly 17,000 funeral homes nationwide, researchers arrived at the following figures.

• Nationwide, a full-service cremation — meaning an adult funeral with a viewing followed by cremation — costs $4,977 on average.
• Nationwide, a direct cremation — where cremation happens right after death with no viewing or ceremony — costs $2,145 on average.

The average cost of a full-service cremation

With a full-service cremation, the body is present for a service before the cremation takes place. In that sense, it plays out much like a traditional funeral: family and friends gather to view their loved one and say goodbye before the cremation happens. The average price reflects a bundle of services a funeral home typically provides, including:

• Basic services of the funeral director and staff
• Transfer of the remains from the place of death to the funeral home
• Embalming
• Preparation of the body (dressing and casketing)
• Viewing service
• Funeral ceremony
• Transporting the remains to the crematory
• Cremation fee

Keep in mind that this average doesn't include a casket (around $1,200 on average) or a cremation urn (around $295 on average) — those are typically extra.

The average cost of a direct cremation

A direct cremation — sometimes called a simple or low-cost cremation — skips the formal viewing and funeral service, and the body isn't embalmed. Cremation generally happens soon after death, which is a big part of why this option costs less.

The $2,145 average for a direct cremation typically covers:

• Basic services of the funeral director and staff
• Transporting the remains from the place of death to the crematory
• Cremation fee

You can arrange a direct cremation through either a funeral home or a crematory directly, and which one makes sense often comes down to location and price.

Sorting out end-of-life costs while you're grieving is hard, and prices vary quite a bit by state and provider, so it's worth getting more than one quote before you decide. Comparing what's available in your area can help you find a service that honors your loved one without straining your budget.