Green burial cost varies widely by location and cemetery, so there is no single national price. A natural burial skips embalming, a concrete vault, and a metal casket, which can lower some costs — but a dedicated conservation cemetery may charge land-preservation fees that raise them. Always compare local providers before you decide.
What is a green burial, exactly?
A green burial (also called a natural burial) returns the body to the earth with as little processing and material as possible. There is no embalming with chemicals, no sealed metal casket, and no concrete grave liner or vault. Instead, the body is placed in a biodegradable container — a simple wood or wicker casket, or a cloth shroud — and buried at a depth that lets it break down naturally.
Green burial usually happens in one of three kinds of ground:
- Hybrid cemetery — a conventional cemetery that also allows vault-free, natural burials in a designated section.
- Natural burial ground — a site run entirely on green principles, with no vaults and often no upright headstones.
- Conservation burial ground — a protected natural area where burial fees help fund permanent land preservation.
The type of ground you choose is one of the biggest factors in the final price.
How much does a green burial cost?
There is no reliable national average for a green burial, because prices swing sharply with your state, the cemetery type, and the container you pick. A vault-free plot in a hybrid cemetery can cost less than a conventional burial, while a plot in a conservation burial ground — where your fee also protects the land — can cost more. Because of that spread, treat any single number you see online with caution.
What you can count on is the list of pieces that make up the total:
- The burial plot or interment right.
- Opening and closing the grave.
- A biodegradable casket or a burial shroud.
- Body transport and refrigeration in place of embalming.
- A flat grave marker or GPS record, if the ground allows a marker at all.
- Any funeral-home or celebrant service fees you choose to add.
Before you commit, it pays to compare local funeral costs line by line, since two nearby cemeteries can quote very different totals for the same natural burial.
How does green burial compare to conventional burial and cremation?
The clearest way to see the difference is side by side. The figures below for conventional burial and cremation are national medians from the funeral-industry price study; the green-burial column is left open because a precise average would be guesswork.
| Option | What it typically includes | Cost anchor |
|---|---|---|
| Green / natural burial | No embalming, biodegradable casket or shroud, no vault | Varies widely by location and cemetery |
| Conventional burial | Embalming, viewing, metal casket, concrete vault | $8,300 national median with viewing and burial (NFDA 2023) |
| Cremation | Cremation with a funeral or memorial service | $6,280 national median (NFDA 2023) |
Green burial removes three of the most expensive line items in a conventional funeral — embalming, the sealed casket, and the vault — which is why families often assume it is the cheapest choice. That is sometimes true, but not always: a conservation burial ground with a small plot supply can price higher than a standard cemetery. Cremation remains popular because it avoids a plot entirely, though a natural burial keeps the option of a graveside gathering.
What does green burial still cost — and what does it skip?
A natural burial skips several conventional expenses, but it is not free, and a few costs still apply no matter which ground you choose.
What green burial skips:
- Chemical embalming (kept fresh by refrigeration, dry ice, or a quick timeline instead).
- A sealed metal or hardwood casket.
- A concrete burial vault or grave liner.
- Elaborate upright headstones, which many natural grounds do not permit.
What still costs money:
- The plot and the labor to open and close the grave.
- A biodegradable casket or shroud.
- Transporting the body to the cemetery.
- Any service, viewing, or officiant fees the family adds.
Keep in mind that government help toward any funeral is small. Social Security pays a one-time $255 lump-sum death payment to an eligible spouse or child, and for a qualifying veteran the VA pays a $1,002 burial allowance plus a $1,002 plot allowance for a non-service-connected death. Those amounts rarely cover a full burial of any kind, green or conventional.
Can burial insurance help pay for a green burial?
Yes. Burial insurance, funeral insurance, and final expense insurance are three names for the same thing: a small whole life policy, usually between $2,000 and $50,000 (often $10,000–$25,000), written for people ages 50–85. The policy covers your final costs and pays out a tax-free death benefit in cash to the person you name — and that person can spend it on a green burial, a conventional service, or anything else. The premium locks in when you buy and does not rise as you age.
Because the money is paid to a beneficiary rather than to a specific cemetery, it works for a natural burial just as well as a traditional one. If health has been a concern, a guaranteed-issue final expense policy skips the health questions entirely, though coverage begins with a two-year graded death benefit before the full amount is payable. A licensed broker who compares burial insurance carriers can line up several quotes so you are not guessing at the right face amount for the funeral you actually want.
Before you choose green, conventional, or cremation, it helps to see what each path really costs in your area. Start by reviewing our full funeral costs breakdown so the number you plan for matches the plan you have in mind.