Funeral prices depend on the services you choose and the providers near you. This guide compares dated price benchmarks, explains possible additional charges, and shows how to request an itemized local quote. Every figure below names its source and date.
How much does a funeral cost?
The most widely quoted national figures come from the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). Its 2023 General Price List Study, released in December 2023, found the medians below. A separate 2026 sample of funeral home price lists by Asurgo gives starting prices for the simplest options.
| Type of funeral | Median price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Funeral with viewing and burial | $8,300 (2023) | NFDA national median, 2023 |
| Funeral with viewing and cremation | $6,280 (2023) | NFDA national median, 2023 |
| Immediate (direct) burial, starting price | $2,800 | Asurgo sample median, 831 price lists, 2026 |
| Direct cremation, starting price | $1,995 | Asurgo sample median, 919 price lists, 2026 |
A median is the middle value in the prices studied; it does not mean half of all funeral homes nationwide charge less. Asurgo’s figures are sample medians of starting prices, not a census of funeral homes or guaranteed local prices. Your own total can be well above or below any of these figures.
What the national figures leave out
NFDA’s figures cover the funeral home’s own goods and services. NFDA states that they do not include interment in a cemetery, a monument or grave marker, or cash-advance items such as flowers or an obituary. For a burial, these cemetery and third-party costs are often a large part of the total, so ask the cemetery for its prices as well as the funeral home.
The main items to budget for are:
- Funeral home services: the non-declinable basic services fee, transfer of the body, embalming or refrigeration, use of facilities for a viewing or service, and a hearse or vehicle.
- Merchandise: a casket or an alternative container, or an urn for cremation.
- Cemetery costs: the plot or niche, opening and closing the grave, any vault or grave liner the cemetery requires, and a marker or headstone.
- Third-party charges: items the funeral home purchases on your behalf, such as death certificates, obituary notices, flowers or clergy fees. Ask which are included and which are additional.
How much is a funeral with cremation?
A full funeral with a viewing followed by cremation had a national median of $6,280 in NFDA’s 2023 study. That figure includes an alternative cremation container and an urn, but not a cemetery niche or burial of the ashes.
Direct cremation, with no viewing or ceremony beforehand, usually costs much less. Asurgo’s 2026 sample reports a median starting price of $1,995 for direct cremation across 919 price lists. Many families choose direct cremation and hold a memorial service later, at home or another meaningful place.
How much is a basic or graveside funeral?
The simplest burial is an immediate (direct) burial: burial shortly after death, without embalming or a viewing. Asurgo’s 2026 sample reports a median starting price of $2,800 for immediate burial across 831 price lists. Check the package before treating a starting price as your total: immediate-burial prices may exclude the casket, and cemetery costs are added on top.
A graveside-only service may reduce charges for a viewing or chapel ceremony. Ask for an itemized quote rather than assuming a standard saving.
How much does a funeral cost in Texas?
Asurgo’s 2026 sample, based on 40 Texas price lists, reports these median starting prices for Texas funeral homes:
- Direct cremation: $2,015
- Immediate burial (funeral home charges): $2,890
- Basic services fee: $2,245
The basic services fee is already included in an immediate-burial or direct-cremation charge, so do not add it again when comparing totals. Prices also differ between large cities and rural areas, so compare at least two or three funeral homes near you.
How much does a funeral cost in California?
The same sample, based on 90 California price lists, reports:
- Direct cremation: $1,895
- Immediate burial (funeral home charges): $2,499
- Basic services fee: $1,995
As in Texas, the basic services fee is already part of the direct cremation and immediate burial prices. Cemetery costs in California vary a great deal by area, so ask each cemetery for its own price list.
How to find the real prices near you
In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule gives you clear rights when you arrange a funeral:
- Prices by phone: funeral homes must give you price information over the phone if you ask.
- A written price list: when you discuss funeral arrangements in person, the funeral home must give you a General Price List to keep. Detailed casket and outer burial-container prices may appear on separate lists.
- Buy only what you want: you can choose individual goods and services instead of a package.
- Your own casket or urn: a funeral home cannot refuse a casket or urn you bought elsewhere, or charge you a fee for using it.
- An itemized statement: you receive a written statement of exactly what you are buying and the cost of each item.
- Embalming: routine embalming is not required for every death. Timing, transport and local requirements can affect whether embalming or refrigeration is needed.
The Funeral Rule does not generally cover a cemetery without an on-site funeral home, so request the cemetery’s itemized prices separately. Calling two or three funeral homes and comparing their price lists is the most reliable way to see what a funeral will cost in your area.
Keeping a lasting memory
Whatever kind of farewell you choose, many families also look for a way to keep their loved one close afterwards. Some keep the ashes at home, some scatter them in a special place, and some turn a small portion into a keepsake. If that is something you would like to explore one day, our guide to memorial diamonds made from ashes or hair explains how it works.
Sources
- National Funeral Directors Association, 2023 General Price List Study, released 8 December 2023: national medians and what they exclude
- Asurgo, Average Funeral Cost by State, updated August 2026: sample medians of starting prices from funeral home price lists collected in 2026, including Texas and California
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission, The FTC Funeral Rule: your rights when arranging a funeral
Figures checked on 4 October 2026. Prices change, so always confirm with local providers.
