Funeral Cost Inflation: How Much Prices Have Risen

Funeral prices have risen about 20% since the end of 2019 and have more than doubled since the end of 2000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' price index for funeral expenses. Over 25 years that is faster than overall inflation, but since 2019 it has been a little slower. The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) put the median funeral with viewing and burial at $8,300 in 2023, up from $7,181 in 2014, and that figure leaves out the cemetery.

How much have funeral costs risen?

The most consistent measure is the Consumer Price Index (CPI), where the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks "funeral expenses" as one item. The table compares it with the CPI for all items, using December readings (not seasonally adjusted).

Year by year, the funeral index has moved less sharply than everyday prices, then caught up:

The latest reading we found, for August 2026, shows funeral expenses up 3.0% from August 2025 and all items up 3.4%. These percentages are our calculations from the published BLS index values.

What do the NFDA's funeral cost medians show?

The NFDA surveys its member funeral homes every two years or so and totals a set of items, including the basic services fee, transfer of the body, embalming and other preparation, a metal casket, facilities and staff for a viewing and ceremony, a hearse and a service car. It excludes the cemetery, a marker and flowers or an obituary. Its median for a funeral with viewing and burial:

From 2014 to 2023 that is about 16%. The NFDA also reported that its median for a funeral with viewing and cremation, including an alternative cremation casket and urn, went from $5,810 in 2021 to $6,280 in 2023, up 8.1%.

The 2023 study made a point worth knowing. The NFDA said overall inflation over the previous two years was 13.6% while its burial median rose 5.8%. The BLS funeral index, over the two calendar years from December 2021 to December 2023, rose about 10%. The two sources measure different things, which is why we show both. Neither is a quote for your family.

The 2014 and 2019 NFDA medians were itemized, so you can see which lines moved most between them:

What might a funeral cost in 2026?

No one publishes an official 2026 figure. The NFDA's 2023 medians are the latest we found, and the NFDA runs its price study every couple of years, so check whether a newer one is out. As an illustration only, the BLS funeral index rose about 9% from July 2023 to July 2026, which would take $8,300 to roughly $9,000. That is arithmetic, not a measured price, and your local prices may differ by thousands of dollars either way.

The better way to find your cost is to ask local homes. Our guide to the average funeral cost breakdown lists each charge, and the funeral cost calculator turns it into an estimate.

Why do funeral prices keep rising?

No official source breaks down the causes, and we would be guessing to name them. Here is what the sources do say:

• Each home sets its own prices. The NFDA says costs vary by region and that each firm prices according to its business philosophy and its market.
• Costs have shifted from goods to services. The Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) says many funeral homes have lowered casket prices to compete with outside sellers but raised the prices of their services to compensate.
• The cemetery is a separate, growing bill. The NFDA's median excludes it. See cemetery plot costs and hidden funeral costs.
• More families choose cremation. The NFDA projects a 2025 cremation rate of 63.4% and a burial rate of 31.6%, and cremation is generally the lower-cost path.

How can you limit the effect of rising prices?

Shopping around helps more than waiting for prices to stabilize. In the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Central Texas's 2026 survey, direct cremation ranged from $695 to $4,210 among homes in five counties. The gap between the cheapest and the dearest home is wider than the rise in prices over 25 years. Practical steps:

1. Compare price lists. The FTC Funeral Rule gives you price information by phone and a written General Price List. See our guide to the General Price List.
2. Buy only what you want. You can choose individual goods and services, and you can buy a casket or urn elsewhere with no handling fee. The FCA adds that you should compare service fees too.
3. Consider a simpler service. The NFDA's cremation median is lower than its burial median, and direct cremation or immediate burial can cost much less than either. See cremation vs traditional funeral and direct cremation cost.
4. Negotiate where you can. See how to negotiate funeral prices.

Does paying in advance beat inflation?

Sometimes, but not automatically. The FTC says prices may go up over time, and also that businesses may close or change ownership and that in some areas prices may go down. It points out that you can make decisions in advance without paying in advance, and suggests reviewing them every few years.

If you are considering prepaying, the FTC lists questions to ask before putting down money: what exactly you are buying, what happens to the money and its interest, whether you are protected if the firm closes, whether you can cancel for a full refund, and what happens if you move. Protections vary widely from state to state. Our guides to whether prepaid plans are worth it and how to choose a prepaid plan go through the choices.

Writing down your wishes costs nothing and helps your family compare prices when the time comes.

A final expense policy is another way families set money aside. Check the face value, any waiting period and the premium before you rely on one. See our funeral insurance guide.

Who helps with the cost?

Government help is small. The Social Security lump-sum death payment is $255, paid to an eligible surviving spouse or child who applies within two years of the death. VA burial benefits, disaster aid and some county programs may help in certain cases. See government funeral help and what to do if you cannot afford a funeral.

What to do next

1. Collect written General Price Lists from two or three funeral homes and the cemetery if you plan a burial.
2. Compare the same items, such as basic services fee, direct cremation and embalming, not package names.
3. Put the totals in the funeral budget builder.
4. If you are planning ahead, write down your wishes and review them every few years.