How Much Does It Cost to Bury a Loved One?

October 19, 2020
If you're looking for an answer to the question "How much does it cost to bury someone?" Check out how to pay your final respects & find affordable funeral options.

The average cost to bury someone you love is $7,000. This price includes the casket, headstone or marker, and other necessary expenses like transportation of the body and death certificates. The most expensive part is often paying for a plot in a cemetery because it can start at $400. For those on a budget or who want to save money by doing more of the work themselves. There are many ways to save money on funeral costs.


If you're looking for an answer to the question "How much does it cost to bury someone?" then this blog post is for you. The average funeral costs between $7,000 and $10,000. This includes embalming, visitation services, and burial services (including a casket), urns or jewelry, memorial service programs, and flowers. Keep reading to learn more about how much it will cost to bury your loved one! 

How much does a funeral cost?


A standard funeral can run up to $12,000. Some of the costs include transporting bodies and services like embalming. But what about those left behind? How much do they have to pay? What should they expect in terms of expenses?

What happens when you can't afford to bury someone?


The cheapest option for those who cannot afford these services is cremation. Which means leaving the remains of their loved ones with a funeral home if they don't have enough money yet to pay for this service at all. Direct cremation is the cheapest alternative to giving your loved one a proper farewell if you can’t afford to have a traditional funeral service. When families first start planning burial services for a loved one through one of the funeral homes in Grain Valley, MO .
They’ll often begin by inquiring as to how much it’ll cost to bury them in a cemetery. It can be a little bit difficult for funeral homes to provide them with a definitive answer because the truth is that it all depends on the cemetery that they choose. 

First, let's talk about what happens after you've decided that someone has passed away. There are different ways of handling death depending on its cause and the wishes of the family:


It is important to understand where your money will go and how it will be spent on the services. Here are some average costs associated with these methods:

1. The cost of a funeral varies depending on the type of service you choose.


A simple funeral service can cost between $7,000 and $12,000, on average. This price does not include cemetery fees. If you choose an elaborate funeral with embalming, limousines, and flowers at an upscale viewing area, the cost of how much it cost to bury someone can rise above $12K.

2. The average funeral service will run you $7,000 to more than $12,000.


A standard package includes a casket, services at a funeral home or church, and burial or cremation with an urn containing your loved one's ashes. Your options can range from a simple graveside service to military honors that include pallbearers carrying an American flag-draped casket and folding chairs for guests to sit in during the viewing portion of the ceremony. You could pay extra for special flowers and musical accompaniment as well.

3. You can also save money by opting for cremation instead of burial.


Cremation is less expensive, with basic services starting at only a couple of hundred bucks. Costs may rise in thousands of dollars depending on how elaborate your funeral/memorial service is after cremation. You may also want to opt for a simple urn instead of a more expensive one that is ornamented or made from gold and silver to keep the costs low.

4. Headstone prices range from $200-$9000+ and are determined by the material style chosen.


Headstones are a way to commemorate the life of someone who has passed on. Headstone prices range from $200-$9000+ depending on the material style chosen but it is important at all times to ensure that they reflect your personality as well as honoring yourself and what you've lost- only then will this symbol be worth every penny spent!

5. Funeral flowers average about $100-300 each.


There are flowers for every budget. You can get a small bouquet or go all out and buy exotic roses that have been flown in from around the world just to satisfy your needs!


You don't need to spend much money on an arrangement, but you also never know what will happen between now and then so it's best if you prepare yourself a premium floral arrangement.

6. There are multiple costs involved with preparing a loved one's body for a funeral.


Each step must be performed properly to prevent infection and other serious health issues. The embalming, for example, is a process that involves cleaning the deceased's body to prevent natural bodily fluids from spreading disease.

7. Embalming services cost about $600-$2,500.


Embalming was invented to allow for a more practical means of funerals by saving the body from decay.


There are many reasons why people might want embalmings done on them after death; some have religious objections and others just don't like how bodies decompose.

8. It's also worth noting that the memorial service itself can add up in price, with one-hour packages starting at $1,000.


Most funeral homes offer these services and packages begin around the $1,000 mark for a single service. The average cost of a package is about $4,500 and includes time for visitation and the memorial service itself.

9. Honorariums paid out to clergy members that perform the funeral service range from $20-$300+ depending on how large the ceremony is.


If your family decides to have a ceremony at your local church, costs are still included in paying for the use of the facilities in the church and staff. If you also decide to have a video tribute at the memorial service, these will range from $300-$600 for an online tribute or DVD version. If you want a live streaming video tribute, then prices range from $500 -$800+.

10. Lastly, there is an Interment at the cemetery where your loved one will be buried.


This averages around $2,250 –$6,000+ depending on how elaborate the gravesite is.


If you're like most people, then you may be wondering how much it will cost to bury your loved one when he or she has passed away. This blog post will give you that answer and teach you how to save money! We'll start by looking at how much it costs for basic funeral arrangements.


Generally speaking, there are going to be a bunch of fees that will factor into the equation and help decide what the cost for burial will be. Take a look at some of the fees your family will face when it comes to a cemetery.

A fee to purchase a burial plot


The first fee that you’re going to have to pay when burying a loved one is the fee to buy a burial plot for them. In some cases, your loved one will have taken care of this already. But if they didn’t get around to it, it’ll be up to you to pay for the burial plot in which they will be buried. Paying this fee will give you “interment rights” to the space where your loved one will be buried in the ground.

A fee to open and close a gravesite


In addition to paying a fee for your loved one’s burial plot, you’ll also have to pay a cemetery to open up and close your loved one’s grave during the burial ceremony.

A fee to obtain the necessary permits and documentation


There are all kinds of paperwork that you’re going to need to fill out when obtaining a burial plot at a cemetery for a loved one. There are also permits that you’re going to have to secure and documentation that you’ll need to get your hands on before your loved one’s burial. It’ll be your responsibility to cover the costs associated with these things when you begin working with a cemetery.

A fee for a headstone or marker


After your loved one has been buried, you’re going to want to put some kind of marker on top so that you and your fellow family members know where they are located. However, many people don't feel like it is worth the time or money and simply have a single grave in their name with no marking at all. You can arrange to have everything from a huge headstone to a small marker put on the ground over their gravesite. It all depends on what you can fit into your budget. 



Do you have more questions about burying a loved one? Speaks Chapels can answer them all for you. We can also help you make funeral arrangements for a loved one from start to finish. Reach out to us now to get more information on our burial services .

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