How much does a funeral cost in Australia?
According to the government’s Moneysmart website, funerals typically cost somewhere in the region of $4,000 for a basic cremation up to $15,000 for a more elaborate burial.
What costs are involved with a funeral?
Common costs associated with funerals include:
| Funeral Expense | Starting Price |
|---|---|
| Funeral director fee | $3,000 |
| Transfer of deceased to funeral home | $300 |
| Storage of deceased at funeral home | $150 |
| Preparation of deceased | $200-$600 |
| Embalming | $600-$1,400 |
| Coffins | $800-$8,000 |
| Death certificate | $66 |
| Cremation certificate | $110 |
| Cremation permit | $110 |
| Burial services (graveside service) | $2,000 |
| Cremation service (at crematorium) | $600 |
| Cremation service with chapel service | $1,200 |
| Celebrant | $300 |
| Family car | $400 |
| Flowers | $200 |
| Newspaper notice | $200 |
*These prices are sourced from Finder.com.au and are based on estimates given by funeral directors from across Australia and may vary due to a number of factors. We have tried to show the general starting price for these services based on our research.
Things to consider
First things first: there is nothing wrong with a cheap funeral. It’s important to remember that the cost of a service has no relationship with how much a person was loved or will be missed. In fact, heaps of Aussies don’t want an expensive send-off.
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to reduce costs while still having a respectful send-off.
- Avoid peak times. Weekend services can be more expensive than funerals held on a weekday.
- Choose a cremation. Burials are more expensive than cremations.
- Reduce extras. Keep flowers, funeral cars and newspaper notices to a minimum.
- Compare providers. Get quotes from various funeral providers and ask for price lists.
Peter Erceg
Peter Erceg is the Owner and Founder of eziFunerals. He has had a long history within the funeral industry, and is a published author of ‘What Kind Of Funeral: A self help guide to planning a meaningful funeral’. Prior to eziFunerals, Peter worked in the public sector and health industry for more than 30 years. The views and opinions expressed on posts are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of eziFunerals and members.
