Cremation vs Burial Cost Comparison
Compare the total costs of cremation versus traditional burial including plot, headstone, and perpetual care.
Cremation Total Cost
$1,700.00
Burial Total Cost
$9,000.00
Savings (Cremation)
$7,300.00
Inputs
$
$
$
Comparison
Perpetual Care Cost
$500.00
Total Difference
$7,300.00
Cost vs. Benefit Analysis
How to Use This Calculator
- Select your Region Cost Tier to reflect local funeral market pricing.
- Enter the Cemetery Plot Cost, Perpetual Care Fee, and Urn Cost for your situation.
- Select the Headstone Type if a burial marker is planned.
- Review Cremation Total Cost vs Burial Total Cost side by side.
- Check Savings with Cremation to understand the financial trade-off and inform family discussions.
How the result changes with Urn Cost
| Urn Cost | Cremation Total Cost | Burial Total Cost | Savings (Cremation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $300.00 | $1,800.00 | $9,000.00 | $7,200.00 |
| $1,050.00 | $2,550.00 | $9,000.00 | $6,450.00 |
| $1,950.00 | $3,450.00 | $9,000.00 | $5,550.00 |
| $2,700.00 | $4,200.00 | $9,000.00 | $4,800.00 |
What each input means
- Region Cost Tier
- Regional cost tier affects base pricing for services
- Cemetery Plot Cost
- Cost of a single burial plot (only applies to burial)
- Perpetual Care Fee
- One-time fee for ongoing cemetery plot maintenance
- Urn Cost
- Cost of cremation urn (only applies to cremation)
- Headstone Type
- Type of grave marker or headstone for burial
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersRegion Cost Tier = 2, Cemetery Plot Cost = 2000, Perpetual Care Fee = 500, Urn Cost = 200 = 5 input(s) provided
- Calculate Cremation Total CostCremation Total Cost1700 = $1,700
- Calculate Burial Total CostBurial Total Cost9000 = $9,000
- Calculate SavingsSavings7300 = $7,300
- Calculate Perpetual Care CostPerpetual Care Cost500 = $500
- Calculate Total DifferenceTotal Difference7300 = $7,300
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