How Much Does an Obituary Cost? Print and Online Prices

A newspaper obituary usually costs from under $100 to $800 or more, and up to about $2,000 in some large cities. Papers mostly charge by the line or column inch, not by the word, so length, a photo and the number of days it runs all change the price. An online obituary or a short print notice that links to a longer tribute can cost much less.

How much does a newspaper obituary cost?

Legacy.com's 2025 cost guide says basic print obituaries run from under $100 to $800 or more, and up to $2,000 in some metro areas. The same guide gives these examples for a 150-word obituary:

Length matters a lot. The same guide priced a 600-word obituary at about $290 in Everett and about $1,740 in Chicago, and a 430-word obituary at about $1,930 in New York City. A flagship paper can cost far more: it listed the New York Times at $477 to $14,550, with an average of $4,071.

These are published examples, not quotes. Prices change, and the paper you use sets its own rates. Ask for a written quote based on your final text before you pay.

Why do obituary prices vary so much?

Several things push the price up or down:

• The newspaper and its city. Larger papers in larger cities charge significantly more, as the examples above show.
• Length. Many newspapers charge by the line or inch rather than by the word. Headings, bullet-style lists of survivors and service details all take lines.
• A photo. Legacy.com lists photo fees of about $15 to $45 in smaller markets and $100 to $250 in larger cities.
• How many days it runs. Each extra day in print is usually another charge.
• Who submits it. Many families go through the funeral home. Ask what the paper charges and whether the funeral home adds any fee of its own.

Papers also verify that the death is real before they print. The New York Times placement guide on Legacy.com asks for the funeral home's or a representative's contact details for verification. Other papers have their own rules, so ask before you start.

What does an online obituary cost?

Online obituaries cost much less than print. Legacy.com lists its own online obituary at a flat $150, with no length limit. Many funeral homes also post an obituary on their own website for the families they serve. Ask whether it is free, how long it stays online and whether you can add photos.

A free memorial page or a post on social media costs nothing, but anyone can copy a post and it may be harder to find later. Our guides to online obituary platforms and memorial website builders compare the main options.

How can you pay less for an obituary?

1. Run a short notice in print and link to a longer one online. This is the approach Legacy.com's guide suggests: a smaller, cost-effective notice in the paper, with a link to a full online tribute. The paper tells people about the death and the service, and the online page holds the life story and photos.
2. Cut the extras from the print version. Leave out the long list of survivors and the photo, and keep them for the online page.
3. Choose the right paper. If your loved one lived in a small town but worked in a large city, the local paper is often far cheaper and reaches the people most likely to attend.
4. Ask what is included. Some packages bundle the print notice with an online version. Compare the total, not just the print line.
5. Write the final text before you call. Quotes are based on the exact wording, so a finished draft gets you an accurate number the first time.

If cost is your main concern, our guide to free obituary options lists ways to publish at little or no charge.

Is an obituary the same as a death notice or a legal notice?

No, and the difference affects the price. A death notice is a short, factual announcement of a death and service details. An obituary is a longer account of the person's life. The notice is usually the cheaper option in print. Our guide on obituary vs death notice compares them side by side.

A notice to creditors is something else entirely. In many states, the personal representative of an estate must publish one in a local newspaper as part of probate. In Florida, for example, the statute calls for publication once a week for two consecutive weeks. Rules differ by state, and the estate pays for it, not the family's tribute budget. Our probate guide explains how that process works.

What should you watch out for?

• Scams. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says scammers read obituaries and legal notices, then call relatives posing as debt collectors. Leave out exact birth dates, street addresses and other details that help identity thieves. Our guide to writing an obituary lists what to leave out.
• Typos. Corrections can cost money in print. Have at least two people read the final text.
• Missing the deadline. Papers set a cutoff for each edition. The New York Times placement guide, for example, listed a text deadline of 4:30 p.m. the day before for Tuesday to Saturday editions. If you miss it, the notice may run after the service.
• Paying for words you don't need. Papers charge for lines, so a long obituary in print costs more than the same text online.

What to do next

1. Decide whether you want a full obituary, a short notice or both.
2. Draft the full text first. Our guide on obituary length and format shows common lengths and layouts.
3. Ask the funeral home what it posts and submits, and ask each paper for a written quote and deadline.
4. Publish a short notice in print if you want one, and put the full tribute online.