How Much Does a Funeral Cost?
A funeral with viewing and burial carries a national median cost of $8,300; with cremation, $6,280 — per the National Funeral Directors Association's 2023 General Price List Study. Adding a burial vault, required by many cemeteries, brings the total to $9,995.
What the median actually includes
The NFDA's burial figure totals the funeral home's basic services fee, transfer of remains, embalming and preparation, a metal casket, viewing and ceremony facilities, hearse and service car, and printed memorial materials. Three big-ticket items sit outside the number:
- The cemetery plot — priced separately by the cemetery
- The monument or grave marker
- Cash-advance items — flowers, obituaries, clergy honoraria
A complete burial routinely lands above the $8,300 median once those are added — which is why coverage amounts of $10,000–$15,000 are the common choice for final expense insurance.
Burial vs. cremation, in one table
| Item | Burial (median) | Cremation (median) |
|---|---|---|
| Funeral with viewing (NFDA 2023) | $8,300 | $6,280 |
| With vault | $9,995 | — |
| Change since 2021 | +5.8% (from $7,848) | +8.1% (from $5,810) |
The $255 problem
Social Security's one-time lump-sum death payment is $255, payable to a qualifying surviving spouse or child. Set against an $8,300 median funeral, the gap — over $8,000 — is what families cover from savings in the same week they lose someone. Covering that gap in advance is the entire purpose of burial insurance.
Funeral costs by state
Costs vary meaningfully by state and metro area. We're building a state-by-state breakdown from a citable dataset — until it ships, the national medians above are the reliable planning numbers.
Cover the gap before it's your family's problem.
See coverage optionsFrequently asked questions
How much does a funeral cost right now?
The national median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial is $8,300, and $6,280 with cremation, per the NFDA's 2023 General Price List Study. Adding a vault — required by many cemeteries — brings the burial figure to $9,995.
What does the median funeral cost include?
The NFDA's burial figure totals the basic services fee, transfer of remains, embalming and preparation, a metal casket, viewing and ceremony facilities, hearse, service car, and printed materials. It excludes the cemetery plot, monument or marker, and cash-advance items like flowers or obituaries.
Is cremation cheaper than burial?
Generally yes. The NFDA's median for a funeral with cremation is $6,280 versus $8,300 for burial — about $2,000 less — though a cremation with full viewing and services can approach burial costs.
Does Social Security help with funeral costs?
Social Security pays a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 to a qualifying surviving spouse or child, per SSA. It was set decades ago and covers a small fraction of today's costs.
How do families usually pay for a funeral?
Savings, family contributions, payment plans, crowdfunding — or a final expense insurance policy purchased in advance, which pays cash to a beneficiary within days of a claim.