Service
Burial: cost & options
A traditional funeral with burial typically costs $7,000–$12,000 in the US once the funeral home's services, a casket, the cemetery plot, a burial vault, and a headstone are all included. The cemetery costs are billed separately from the funeral home and vary widely by location.
Burial costs come from two places: the funeral home (services, casket, preparation) and the cemetery (plot, opening and closing the grave, vault, marker). Budget for both, and remember a vault is usually a cemetery requirement, not a legal one.
What does the price usually include?
A typical burial price covers the items on the left. The right column lists common add-ons billed separately — ask each provider for an itemized list.
Included
- The funeral home's basic services and staff fee
- Transfer and preparation of the deceased
- A viewing or funeral service and use of facilities
- Coordination of permits and paperwork
- Hearse and transport to the cemetery
Usually extra
- The cemetery plot or grave space
- A casket and, where required, a burial vault or liner
- Opening and closing the grave (a cemetery fee)
- The headstone or grave marker
- Certified copies of the death certificate
Common questions about Burial
Other services
Prices are national ranges for general guidance only — not a quote. Providers must give you an itemized price list under the FTC Funeral Rule.