Average Funeral Cost in New Zealand: What You Pay and Help Available

New Zealand has no official average funeral cost. Funeral directors, councils and private cemeteries and crematoria each set their own prices, so two funerals in the same town can cost very different amounts. What you can rely on are the rules and help set by the government: a Work and Income Funeral Grant of up to $2,697.43 (Work and Income, June 2026), ACC help after an accident, and the right to get money released from a frozen bank account to pay the bill.

We do not quote a typical dollar range because we could not confirm one from an official or independent source. Instead, this guide shows what a bill is made of and how to compare quotes.

What makes up a funeral bill in New Zealand?

A funeral director's invoice usually has three kinds of charge. Ask for each to be listed separately.

The government notes that a funeral director will register the death for you and organise the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. Burial and cremation fees are charged by the council or by the private cemetery or crematorium, so the same funeral can cost more or less depending on where it is held. For cremation prices, see our guide to cremation cost in New Zealand.

How do you compare funeral directors?

1. Ask for a written, itemised quote for the same service from at least two funeral directors.
2. Ask which items are the funeral director's own charges and which are passed on from the council, cemetery or crematorium, and ask to see the fee schedule for those.
3. Ask what is included in the price of the coffin and what the "professional services" fee covers.
4. Check whether extras like catering, flowers and a death notice are included or left for you to arrange.

How can you reduce the cost?

The government lists some practical ways to cut costs:

• use flowers from the garden
• organise the catering yourself
• ask a friend to be celebrant instead of hiring one

Other choices that change the total are cremation or burial, the coffin and the venue. Our guide to low-cost funeral options covers these, and what to do if you cannot afford a funeral explains where to turn if the bill is out of reach.

What help is available with funeral costs?

Work and Income Funeral Grant

The grant pays up to $2,697.43 toward reasonable funeral costs when the estate and family cannot meet them. You may qualify if you are arranging the funeral for your partner, parent or guardian, a child under 18, or a single adult over 18 who normally lived in New Zealand. Income limits apply when the person who died was your partner or child. You do not need to be on a benefit and you do not repay it if the criteria are met. It applies only when the estate and family cannot meet the costs, and Work and Income says you may not get it if other help is available, such as ACC, Veterans' Affairs or prepaid funeral cover. Read our guide to the WINZ Funeral Grant for the income limits and how to apply.

ACC

If the death resulted from an injury or accident, ACC may help with funeral costs, and it can provide other support as well. Its help is separate from Work and Income's. Ask ACC first, because Work and Income may not pay when ACC is covering the funeral.

Travel to a funeral or tangi

Close relatives who cannot afford to travel may get an Advance Payment of Benefit if they are on a benefit, or a Recoverable Assistance Payment if they are not. The Recoverable Assistance Payment may need to be repaid.

The person's own money

The government says money can be released from a frozen bank account to pay for the funeral without waiting for probate, and you do not need to be the executor. Ask the bank what it needs. Our guide to accessing a deceased bank account for funeral costs covers the process.

What paperwork is needed?

• Medical certificate: the funeral director organises it, or you get it from a doctor or nurse, or the coroner's authorisation to release the body.
• Registration: a funeral director registers the death for you. If you organise the funeral yourself, register the death within 3 working days of the burial or cremation using form BDM 28. Registering is free.
• Death certificate: an official certificate costs $35, and most people get it within 1 to 2 weeks. The government advises not to order it until after the funeral.

Our guide to death registration in New Zealand explains each step.

Do prepaid funerals help?

A prepaid funeral trust or plan can make sure the funeral is paid for even while probate is pending, according to the government. Check whether the person had one, because it may already cover the funeral. Read the terms to see what is included, since plans differ. Our guides on whether prepaid plans are worth it and prepaid funeral plan comparison go through the questions to ask.

Work and Income's Residential Care Subsidy rules also matter for older people. Its asset test excludes pre-paid funeral expenses of up to $10,000 each for you and your partner, if held in a recognised funeral plan.

What to do next

1. Check for a prepaid funeral plan, insurance or accident cover (ACC) before you commit to paying.
2. Get written, itemised quotes from two funeral directors, and ask about council or cemetery fees.
3. If money is short, ask Work and Income about the Funeral Grant, and ask the bank to release funds from the person's account.
4. If the person died overseas, read our guide to repatriation costs.