Free tool · Funeral Costs & Paying

Funeral vs Memorial Cost Split

Split your costs between a funeral and a separate memorial service, and see what each event adds up to. Funeral home lines start at the national medians from the NFDA's 2023 price survey, and everything else is your own quotes. Each cost is counted once, so sharing a cost between the two events never inflates your total.

No sign-up
Private: nothing you enter leaves your device
Figures checked Sep 30, 2026

Estimated total, both events

$3,744

Each cost is counted once, however you split it. Funeral home lines start at NFDA 2023 General Price List Study medians. Your quotes will differ.

Funeral: $3,744
Memorial: $0

No amount yet for: Flowers, Reception or repast, Officiant or celebrant honorarium, Venue for the memorial, Musicians or sound equipment, Photo display, slideshow or livestream. Add a quote for each, or switch the cost off, to finish your total.

How each cost is split
Cost	Funeral	Memorial
Basic services fee	$2,459	—
Transfer of remains to the funeral home	$395	—
Cremation fee, container and urn	$890	—
Total	$3,744	$0

Nothing is assigned to a memorial yet. Choose “Memorial” or “Split between both” on a cost, or pick a plan with a separate memorial.

These are planning estimates, not quotes. The funeral home medians leave out cemetery charges and items the funeral home pays on your behalf. The cremation line is an estimate, and direct-cremation providers often quote less. Ask for a written price list.

Funeral or memorial: what's the difference?

A funeral is the set of arrangements made soon after a death. It usually includes the funeral home's services, a casket or cremation, and the burial or cremation itself. A memorial service is a separate gathering, held with or without the body or remains present. It often happens weeks later and often somewhere other than a funeral home.

Many families do both: a small private burial or a direct cremation first, then a larger memorial once relatives can travel. The two events have different costs and different timelines, which is why it helps to budget them separately.

How this tool splits a cost

Choose the plan closest to yours. It switches on the costs that usually apply and fills in the funeral home lines.
Replace any amount with the price you were quoted. Switch off anything you don't need.
For each cost, choose Funeral, Memorial or Split between both. If you split a cost, set the memorial's share as a percentage. A $400 cost split 25% to the memorial shows as $300 for the funeral and $100 for the memorial.
Enter how many people are sharing the bill if you want a rough equal share for each.

The NFDA medians cover the funeral home only. They leave out cemetery charges and items a funeral home pays on your behalf, such as death certificates or an obituary, so those lines start blank. Venue, music and other memorial costs have no reliable national figure either, so you enter your own quotes.

Ways to keep each event's cost down

Ask every funeral home for its General Price List. Under the FTC Funeral Rule you can choose only the goods and services you want, apart from the basic services fee.
You can buy a casket or urn elsewhere. The funeral home must accept it and can't charge you a handling fee.
You don't need a funeral home for the memorial. A park, a place of worship, a community hall or a home can cost much less, so get quotes before you book.
Reuse flowers and photo displays at the second event instead of buying them twice.
Compare this plan with a single service using the funeral cost calculator, or set a spending limit in the funeral budget builder.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a funeral and a memorial service?

A funeral is held soon after a death and is tied to burial or cremation, often with the body present. A memorial service is a separate gathering that can happen at any time, usually without the body, and it doesn't have to be at a funeral home.

Is a memorial service cheaper than a funeral?

Often, because it avoids items such as embalming, a casket and a hearse. But the body still has to be buried or cremated, so if you hold a memorial as well as a funeral or cremation, you pay for both. Use your own quotes to compare.

Can I have both a funeral and a memorial service?

Yes. A common pattern is a private burial or direct cremation first, then a larger memorial later. Budget for both events, and count shared costs such as flowers or printed programs only once.

Do I have to buy everything the funeral home lists?

No. The FTC Funeral Rule lets you buy only the arrangements you want, as separate items rather than a package. The one fee you can't decline is the funeral home's basic services fee. No state requires routine embalming, and the funeral home must accept a casket or urn you bought elsewhere.

How much does a funeral cost?

The NFDA's 2023 price survey put the national median at $8,300 for a funeral with viewing and burial, and $6,280 for a funeral with viewing and cremation. Cemetery costs such as a plot and headstone are extra, and so is a separate memorial.

Who pays for a memorial service?

There's no set rule. The cost usually comes from the estate or from the family, and some families share it among relatives. If the estate is paying, keep the receipts for the executor.

Sources we checked

1.Statistics: median cost of a funeral · National Funeral Directors Association
2.The FTC Funeral Rule · Federal Trade Commission
3.Shopping for Funeral Services · Federal Trade Commission

Please note: General information, not legal, financial or medical advice. Check the details with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Rules and prices change, so confirm anything important with the organization concerned. If you spot something out of date, tell us.

Guides that go with this tool

Services & etiquetteCelebration of Life vs Memorial Service: Differences and How to ChooseHow a celebration of life differs from a memorial service and a funeral: tone, timing, venue, who leads, what each costs and how to choose between them. 5 min read PlanningMemorial Service Planning Guide: Step-by-Step ChecklistHow to plan a memorial service step by step: who does what, choosing a date, venue and leader, the running order, costs, guests, and a checklist for the day. 7 min read CostsMemorial Without a Funeral Home: How to Plan It and What It CostsYou can hold a memorial anywhere without a funeral home. See what still needs a licensed provider, what direct cremation costs, and how to plan the gathering. 5 min read Services & etiquetteWhat Is a Memorial Service? How It Differs From a FuneralWhat a memorial service is, how it differs from a funeral and a celebration of life, when and where to hold one, what it costs and how to plan it. 5 min read

More free tools

Funeral Budget BuilderBuild an itemized budget and track spending against it.Open tool

Funeral Type FinderAnswer a few questions to find the type of service that fits.Open tool

Free printable