Cemetery Costs

When calculating funeral expenses, cemetery costs can play a big part. Before we get to the numbers, here is a list of items for which cemeteries charge a fee:

  • Headstone installation. Regardless of whether you purchase the headstone at the cemetery or elsewhere, most cemeteries charge a fee to install it.
  • Burial vaults: With ground burials, cemeteries can require some sort of outer burial container, like a vault or a grave liner. This protects the land around the casket.
  • Basic, flat grave marker: These are the small, ground level grave markers often seen in cemeteries. They usually cost far less than a headstone or monument, but they are not free.
  • Burying cremated ashes: Some people are surprised to discover that cemeteries sites charge a fee for burying cremated ashes. It is less expensive than a traditional burial, but there is a fee.
  • Interment rights: Also know as “Rights for Interment,” this is the actual purchase of the burial plot (or mausoleum space).
  • Endowment care: Also referred to as “perpetual care,” endowment care is a one-time maintenance fee. This fee does not include maintenance of headstones and gravesite memorials.

Estimated Cemetery Costs

The Funeral Rule doesn’t apply to cemeteries or mausoleums, and often prices of certain services can vary wildly. Here are some estimated costs to consider when planning a funeral:

  • Plot: The burial plot itself can start at anywhere between $1,500 and $2,500.
  • Flat grave marker: This basic grave marker can cost anywhere from $250 to $600.
  • Lawn crypt: Usually used in places below sea level such as parts of Florida and Louisiana, lawn crypts can cost anywhere between $2,000 and $12,000 – and more.
  • Headstone installation: This service starts at around $500 but can cost as much as $4,000.
  • Mausoleum crypt: Prices vary drastically, but they generally start at around $4,000 and can go up to $9,000 or more.
  • Burial of cremated ashes: While on the low end, burying cremated ashes can cost as little as $250, it can be as high as $2,000.
  • Endowment care: This is usually a percentage of the burial plot and can start at around $150.
  • Burial vault: A more significant expense than people expect, prices range from $400 to $2,500.