Cost considerations when choosing direct cremation

Posted by on February 5, 2009

This article will discuss the costs involved in choosing a direct cremation.  There are two basic ways to arrange for direct cremation: through a funeral home or directly through a crematory.  A crematory is a business that only performs cremation services.

Generally speaking, most funeral homes do not perform cremations themselves.  Instead, they contract out their cremation services to a crematory and include the crematory’s fees as part of the funeral home’s bill.  Many times the funeral home will add a separate handling fee to the crematory’s charges. 

This means it’s usually less expensive to arrange direct cremation through the crematory.  Doing so allows you to eliminate any extra fees from the funeral home.   

Average Direct Cremation Costs

The average cost of performing a direct cremation through a funeral home is between $1,600 and $3,000.  Costs can run as high as $5,500 if you purchase a casket to be used in the cremation. 

The average cost of performing a direct cremation through a crematory is between $1,000 and $2,200.  Again, costs can be significantly more if you cremate the body in an expensive casket.

From a practical standpoint, there isn’t a good reason to purchase a casket for use in a direct cremation.  You’ll be fine using a less-expensive cardboard box, sometimes referred to as an “alternative container.”

Related articles:

1. How much does the average funeral cost?