Cost Of Cremation Vs Burial: Exploring Differences between Them And Their Costs For The USA

When your loved ones pass away from this mortal world, you have to make some arrangements for their final goodbyes. And preparing their funerals is not an easy task. You need the help of people who can make your work easy in these difficult days. Some people choose the burial, and some people prefer to go with the cremation process for their deceased loved one. Even people leave their wishes for this purpose, whether they want a burial or cremation for their body.

In this article, we will see all the possible aspects of it, with key differences between the cost of cremation and burial costs. This guide will be simple but very helpful for you. Read this article carefully to understand it in easy language.

What Is Cremation?

The cremation is a process in which the body of a deceased person is put in the fire until it is fully burned to ashes. And the remaining ashes are given to the family member. The family members sometimes pour these ashes into the river, and some people make their graves for the memorial. However, a new way has emerged, which is tree pod burial, in which the cremated ashes are put into the tree pod and buried under. Then from it the tree grows and family members take care of it as it is a new form of the deceased one.

What Is Burial?

Burial is the opposite process of cremation, in which the body of the deceased is placed inside the casket and then buried in the ground. However, it can also be given to a tree pod and then a tree grows from it, just as with the cremation tree pod. So the key difference is that one is burnt to ashes and the second is buried in the ground.

What Is the Average Costs Of Cremation Vs Burial In The USA? 

Burial and cremation are different process which is followed by different arrangements. While in the burial process, a body is taken into the casket and then given the grave plot. Thus making it more expensive than the cremation. While cremation costs less than a burial because there is only the ashes left and the ashes do not take up as much space as a burial does.

Source: National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) 2023 General Price List Study

Why Is Burial More Expensive?

Here, we will explore the reason why the burial is more expensive than the cremation. In this section, we will break down the cost of burial and see why it is more expensive.

Expenses included in the burial are mentioned below:

• Funeral home basic service fee: When a person dies, and you are availing the funeral burial service, then the funeral home service is included in it.
• Embalming: Another factor is embalming, in which the body is covered with a preserving chemical, which also adds to the cost.
• Viewing and visitation: The service for viewing the deceased is also one of the factors that is added to the cost.
• Casket: Casket boxes are a bit high in prices, and creating the customize casket can significantly increase the cost.
• Cemetery Plot: The plot for the body is assigned, and it is also included in the cost for burial.
• Grave opening and closing: Digging of the ground and then closing it is included in the cost for the burial.
• Vault: Sometimes the ground is not hard, and it can fall on the grave, and that is why a vault is added to it. And can increase the cos.t
• Headstone or grave marker: It is the brick-made slats or marble made which is placed on top of the grave, on which prayers or other information are written.

Cost Of Cremation Vs Traditional Burial

Cost Of Cremation Vs Regular Burial 

People also prefer to go for the regular burials, which are less expensive and include only the basic facilities for the burial, and that is why they cost less than the other ones. So it can cost from $4000 to $7000. On the other hand, if you go with regular cremation, the cost may decrease significantly, too. It then costs from $2000 to 4000 dollars.

Cost Of Cremation Vs Casket Burial

Compared to the casket burial, it may be higher than the usual one because the casket boxes are a bit higher in price. And if you are going with high end luxury casket, you may pay more for it than. Caskets vary widely in price:

• Basic wood casket: $2,000 – $5,000
• Metal casket: $3,000 – $10,000+

Cost Of Green Burial Vs Cremation 

People are converting towards green burials, which is becoming more popular. It focuses on an environmentally friendly purpose. However, it includes some of the biodegradable materials that can be decomposed in soil. The cost for it is mentioned below.

• Green burial: $3,000 – $6,000
• Direct cremation: $1,000 – $3,000

Cost of Cremation Vs Burial In California

Location can play a vital role in fixing the prices for burial. The cost of cremation vs burial in California is higher than the national average due to high service and land costs. However, the cost of them is mentioned below.

• Cremation in California: $1,500 – $4,000
• Burial in California: $9,000 – $15,000

Cost Of Cremation Vs Burial In Texas

Texas has lower funeral costs compared to other locations, as compare to other locations such as California. The cost of cremation and burial in Texas is mentioned below.

• Cremation: $1,000 – $3,500
• Burial: $6,000 – $10,000

What Factors Affect Funeral Costs?

In this section, we will see the factors that are affecting the cost, and we will delve into comparing the average cost of burial vs cremation. The factors that affect the cost.

1. Location
2. Type of services
3. Casket boxes choices 
4. Cemetery plots
5. Add-ons services

Is Cremation Always Cheaper?

Most of the time, the cremation costs you less, but if you add some extra arrangements, then it can increase. However, even in these cases, cremation usually costs less than a full traditional burial.

• An expensive urn
• A large memorial service
• Ashes buried in a cemetery plot

Which option Is More Affordable?

We will explore the affordable costs for the cremation and burial. Here we will break them down into an easy and understandable way that easily defines the costs.

How To Save Money On Funeral Costs?

When you are planning for the funeral, and you want to save on the cost of it. Then you should consider the suggestion for it. Following them will help you reduce the cost of the funeral. Here simple ways to reduce costs:

1. Compare the multiple funeral home prices
2. Ask them for a general price list
3. You can skip embalming to decrease the prices 
4. You can consider the direct cremation
5. Choosing the simple casket container
6. You can hold the memorial service at home to avoid the increasing cost

Conclusion

The cost of cremation vs burial may not be fixed at the same prices. It can vary according to the location, services, and add-ons for the funerals. While looking at the costs, you can save them by applying the suggestion which were mentioned above. Now you have well-explained guidance for the different prices.

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