Funeral cost calculator
Tell us where you are and what you’re planning, and we’ll show you an itemized estimate built from 35 real funeral home price lists — line by line, with a note on each one about where families can spend less.
Nothing here is a sales page. There is no form to fill in, and nobody will call you.
Estimated cremation cost in the United States
$1,920
Typically $1,037 – $2,420 · 35 price lists from the Los Angeles–Orange County area, the Chicago area, the Houston area, the Phoenix area, and the Tampa Bay area
What makes up that number
| Item | Typical range | Midpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Direct cremation35 price lists nationwide | $1,037 – $2,420 | $1,920 |
| Total | $1,037 – $2,420 | $1,920 |
The midpoint is the median price on the price lists behind each line. The range runs from the 25th to the 75th percentile — half of the funeral homes we’ve collected fall inside it, and plenty sit outside it in both directions.
What each line covers, and where you can save
Direct cremation
The complete package: the funeral home’s basic services, transfer into their care, a simple container, and the crematory fee. No viewing, no ceremony.
This is the single biggest lever there is. Prices for exactly the same service vary enormously between funeral homes in the same city, so calling three is worth real money. You can still hold any memorial you like afterwards, on your own terms and at your own pace.
What this estimate does not include
- An urn, and any cemetery or columbarium niche charges if the ashes are interred. Funeral homes sell urns, but you may buy one anywhere.
- Certified copies of the death certificate (usually $10–$30 each, set by the state or county — you will need several).
- Obituary placement, flowers, catering, and clergy or musician honoraria.
The lowest price we’ve recorded
ScrivensJohnson in TAMPA, FL lists direct cremation at $650, on a price list effective September 27, 2023. See the source price list. We are not recommending this funeral home — we have never spoken to them. It is simply the lowest figure in our data, and proof of how far prices spread.
Where these numbers come from
Based on 35 real funeral home price lists collected in August 2026 from the Los Angeles–Orange County area, the Chicago area, the Houston area, the Phoenix area, and the Tampa Bay area, plus national medians published by the National Funeral Directors Association. Every U.S. funeral home must give out an itemized General Price List under the FTC Funeral Rule; these are the documents we collect, with a link to each original.
For comparison, the national median for a funeral with cremation is $6,280 (2023 NFDA General Price List Study, National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)). That figure covers a different bundle of items than the one you selected, so the two won’t match exactly.
This is an estimate for planning, not a quote. Only a funeral home can give you a price for your situation, and they must give it to you in writing. Read our full methodology.