What is the difference between a traditional and a direct burial?

A traditional burial includes embalming, a viewing and a funeral ceremony before the burial. A direct burial skips those: the funeral home transports the body and the burial happens soon after death, and families often hold a memorial gathering separately.

Why are the funeral home and the cemetery shown separately?

They are usually different businesses that send separate bills. The funeral home charges for services, preparation and the casket. The cemetery charges for the grave, opening and closing, the vault or liner and the marker.

Does the VA pay for a funeral?

For an eligible veteran buried in a VA national cemetery, the VA provides the gravesite, opening and closing, a grave liner, a headstone or marker and perpetual care at no cost. Funeral home charges such as the casket, preparation and services are not covered by that benefit, although some families qualify for a separate VA burial allowance.

How accurate is this estimate?

The default amounts follow the price ranges in our burial cost, plot cost and columbarium guides. Prices vary a great deal by region and provider, so use the estimate to plan and compare, and replace each amount with a written quote when you have one.

Funeral and Burial Cost Calculator

How the estimate works

Every line starts at the low, typical or high end of the ranges we publish in How Much Does a Burial Cost?, How Much Does a Cemetery Plot Cost? and What Is a Columbarium?. "Typical" is a point inside each range, not a measured national median; with the default lines, a typical traditional burial lands inside the $8,000 to $15,000 range that guide gives. Untick a line to remove it, or type a price you were quoted. The total updates as you go.

The four arrangements

Traditional burial: preparation, a viewing, a funeral ceremony, a hearse and a casket, followed by burial in a cemetery plot.
Direct burial: the funeral home handles transport, paperwork and burial without embalming or a viewing. This is usually the least expensive way to have a burial.
Cremation with a service: cremation plus a memorial gathering, with or without the urn present.
Direct cremation: transport, paperwork and the cremation itself, with no service. The urn can be kept, scattered, buried in a cremation plot or placed in a columbarium niche.

Ways to bring the total down

Ask several funeral homes for their General Price List. Under the FTC Funeral Rule they must give you one, and prices for the same service can differ by thousands of dollars in one town.
Buy the casket or urn elsewhere. The funeral home must accept it without a handling fee.
Ask whether a basic concrete grave liner satisfies the cemetery's rules instead of a sealed vault.
Compare cemetery types. Municipal cemeteries and church cemeteries are often less expensive than private memorial parks.
Check veterans benefits with our VA burial eligibility checker.

Planning for a future need

The "Planning ahead" box grows today's total by a yearly price rise of your choice. It does not predict prices: it shows what the same arrangement would cost if prices rose at that rate, which helps when sizing savings, life insurance or a pre-need contract. If you prepay, ask how the money is held (trust or insurance), whether prices are locked in, and what happens if you move or cancel.

Updated November 7, 2026 · Built and reviewed by the Cemetery Directory USA editors.This tool runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to us or stored.