Winter vs Summer Burial Costs: Is a Winter Burial More Expensive?

A winter burial can cost more than a summer one, but only if the cemetery charges for it. Some add a flat winter fee, such as $250 at the Ames, Iowa municipal cemetery from July 2026. Others list no seasonal charge at all. There is no national winter rate, and a weekend burial often adds more than winter does.

Is a winter burial more expensive than a summer burial?

It depends on the cemetery. Some charge extra when the ground is frozen, and some do not. Here are three published examples from 2026 city cemetery fee schedules:

These are three municipal cemeteries, not a national average, and private cemeteries set their own prices. The Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA), in a brochure revised in December 2020, says opening and closing fees run from about $300 to $1,500 and can vary with the time of day, week or year.

The $250 Ames fee, for example, is a surcharge on top of a fee that is already over $1,100. Neither the Ames nor the Salt Lake City schedule says which dates count as winter, so ask the cemetery office when its winter rate starts and stops.

Why can winter cost more?

Frozen ground is harder and slower to dig, and snow can block roads and hide the grave site. Cemeteries in cold regions deal with this every year, and some of them pass part of the cost on. Seven Days, a Vermont newspaper, quoted the state's cemetery association president in 2008 saying that jackhammers or backhoes can break through winter soil and that some cemeteries stay open all year.

A few things can add to a winter bill:

• A winter surcharge on the opening and closing fee, as at Ames and Salt Lake City
• Extra time or equipment to break through frost, if the cemetery bills it
• Snow removal on cemetery roads and around the grave
• A graveside tent or seating, if you want one, which may come from the funeral home or the cemetery

Charges differ by provider, so ask for each one in writing and ask whether the cemetery or the funeral home bills it.

What affects the price more than the season?

For many families, the day of the week and the type of burial matter more than the weather. Both Ames and Salt Lake City charge more for weekends and holidays:

A weekday burial can therefore save more than avoiding the winter fee. See our guides on weekday vs weekend funeral costs and the opening and closing fee.

The larger costs are the same in every season. They include the funeral home's basic services fee and casket, the grave itself, a grave liner or vault if the cemetery requires one, and the marker. The FCA says no state or federal law requires a burial vault, but most cemeteries do. Our average funeral cost breakdown goes through each line.

Is a summer burial cheaper?

Not by itself. In fee schedules like these, a summer weekday burial is the baseline price, and the same weekend and holiday surcharges still apply. Summer brings practical choices rather than fees: shade or a tent for guests, water for people standing outdoors, and a time of day that avoids the worst heat.

How can you avoid a winter surcharge or a winter delay?

You have a few options if the season is a worry. None is right for everyone, and some religious traditions expect burial within a day or two, so talk with your faith leader first.

• Choose a weekday. This avoids the weekend fee, which is larger than the winter fee at Ames.
• Ask whether the winter fee applies. Some cemeteries apply it only when frost or snow actually requires it.
• Hold the body until spring. If weather or cost pushes the burial back, the funeral home can hold the body. No state law requires routine embalming for every death, and the FCA says no state requires it when burial or cremation takes place within two days. In most states refrigeration is a legal alternative. Some states have rules for longer delays, so ask which apply. Some older northern cemeteries also have receiving vaults for winter storage. Ask what any holding charge is.
• Bury cremated remains later. Cremation does not need a grave dug. Salt Lake City lists a $59 winter charge for cremated remains against $352 for a grave opening, but check your cemetery. Our cremation vs traditional funeral guide compares the two routes.
• Separate the burial from the gathering. Some families choose an immediate burial with a short graveside committal, then hold a memorial when the weather is better.
• Ask for a price in writing. The FTC Funeral Rule covers funeral homes. It does not cover most cemeteries, so get the cemetery's fee list too.

For more on frozen ground, timing and headstones in cold weather, see our guide to winter burial challenges.

What to ask the cemetery before you decide

1. What is the opening and closing fee on a weekday, and how much more on a weekend?
2. Is there a winter or frost charge, and what dates does it cover?
3. How much notice do you need in winter?
4. Is there a holding or receiving vault, and what does it cost per month?
5. Who clears snow and ice from the roads and the grave site?
6. When can a marker be installed after a winter burial?

What to do next

1. Get the funeral home's General Price List and the cemetery's fee schedule. Compare the winter, weekend and vault charges.
2. Ask whether a weekday or a later date would change the total.
3. If you are pre-planning, ask whether a pre-purchased grave locks in the opening and closing fee, including any winter charge. Our guide to cemetery plot costs explains what to look for.