Ohio Funeral Costs: Cremation and Burial Prices and Rules

Ohio has no official statewide average for funeral costs, but local price surveys show how wide the range is. The Cleveland Memorial Society's 2023 survey of northeast Ohio funeral homes found direct cremation from $725 to $4,373, immediate burial from $995 to $4,985 and full-service funerals from $3,580 to $9,420. Those ranges leave out caskets, urns, grave liners and cemetery fees, so the same service can cost thousands of dollars more or less depending on the home you choose.

How much does a funeral cost in Ohio?

The Cleveland Memorial Society, a nonprofit consumer group, collects General Price Lists (GPLs) from more than 100 funeral homes in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina and Summit counties. It surveyed 40 to 60 homes each time in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021 and 2023. The 2023 results:

The survey excludes urns, caskets, grave liners and cemetery fees. Direct cremation and immediate burial mean no viewing or service at the funeral home. These figures describe northeast Ohio only, and prices in Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton or rural counties may differ. For a national benchmark, the NFDA's 2023 price study found a median of $8,300 for a funeral with viewing and burial and $6,280 for a funeral with viewing and cremation.

What costs extra

Several bills sit outside the funeral home's price list. The Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) gives these typical ranges in its burial brochure, last revised in December 2020:

• Casket: $2,000 to $5,000 for the average casket, with simple options from about $1,000. An alternative container can cost from $50 to over $1,000.
• Grave liner or vault: about $700 for a simple concrete liner, up to over $15,000 for a metal-clad vault.
• Opening and closing the grave: about $300 to $1,500.
• Headstone, engraving and installation: about $1,000 or more.
• Cemetery plot: about $500 at a small rural nonprofit cemetery, and $5,000 to $10,000 at some urban for-profit cemeteries.

These ranges are several years old, so ask each cemetery for current written prices. Our guides on cemetery plot costs and opening and closing fees explain each one. For how prices compare elsewhere, see burial costs by state.

Your rights under the FTC Funeral Rule

The FTC Funeral Rule applies to Ohio funeral homes as it does everywhere in the U.S. A funeral home must:

1. Give you price information by phone if you ask.
2. Give you a written General Price List that is yours to keep.
3. Let you choose only the goods and services you want, rather than a package.
4. Accept a casket or urn you bought elsewhere, without a fee.
5. Tell you that alternative containers are available for cremation, and make them available.

The FTC also says no state law requires routine embalming for every death, and that outer burial containers are not required by state law anywhere in the U.S., though many cemeteries require them. The Cleveland Memorial Society's FAQ notes that a funeral home may require embalming for a viewing or an extended period before burial or cremation. See our guides on the FTC Funeral Rule, the General Price List and whether embalming is required by law.

Memorial societies and price comparison in Ohio

Ohio has at least two nonprofit groups that help families compare prices. The Cleveland Memorial Society publishes its price survey and offers contracted member prices with participating funeral directors: $845 for direct cremation and $1,025 for immediate burial (the burial price includes a casket of the director's choosing). Its prices are for members, so check membership terms on its website. The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Central Ohio is a separate nonprofit that serves central Ohio, mainly the Columbus area.

Green burial and alternatives in Ohio

Foxfield Preserve in Wilmot, Ohio describes itself as a conservation burial ground, where burial is meant to preserve and protect the land. Contact the preserve for pricing and its requirements before you plan. For other sites, the Green Burial Council publishes a map of certified cemeteries and funeral homes. See our guides to green burial and finding a green burial cemetery.

Body donation is another option. The Cleveland Memorial Society says donation programs, including Anatomy Gifts Registry and ScienceCare, usually accept bodies at no charge, including transportation. Medical schools may offer free or low-cost service with cremated remains returned after study, so ask the program what it offers and how long it takes. See body donation programs.

Veterans' burial in Ohio

Eligible veterans can be buried in a VA national cemetery at no cost. The VA provides the gravesite, opening and closing, perpetual care and a government headstone or marker, and eligible spouses and dependents can be buried alongside the veteran. Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery, in Seville about 45 miles south of Cleveland, reports space for casketed burials and in-ground burial of cremated remains. See national cemetery eligibility and the VA burial allowance for what is available if you choose a private cemetery.

Help paying for a funeral in Ohio

• County and state help. The Cleveland Memorial Society says state and county assistance varies, and advises contacting your county's department of social services first. It notes most programs cover direct cremation or immediate burial only, not a full-service funeral.
• Social Security. A one-time $255 death payment goes to an eligible surviving spouse or dependent.
• Body donation. A donation program can remove most of the cost, if the donor qualifies.
• Other sources. The FCA lists charities, faith communities, unions and employer benefits as places to ask.

Our guides on what to do if you cannot afford a funeral, government funeral help and Medicaid funeral assistance go through the options.

What to do next

1. Decide what kind of service fits the person's wishes: cremation, burial, donation or a memorial.
2. Request written General Price Lists from at least three funeral homes, and written cemetery prices if you want burial.
3. Set a total budget with the funeral budget builder before you meet with a funeral director.