There is no right answer, only what fits the person and the family. If the person left any record of their wishes, start there. If they didn't, the decision usually rests with the executor or next of kin, and it helps to think about cost, faith and culture, timing, and whether a place to visit matters.

Burial or cremation: the main differences

CremationBurial
Average total paid (2023 survey)$8,045$11,039
Least expensive optionDirect cremation, with a median advertised price of $3,749 in NSW (September 2026)Depends mostly on the cemetery: the most basic grave and burial fee cost $2,516 at Broken Hill and $21,993 at Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park in Sydney
Cemetery costsNone, unless the ashes are placed in a cemeteryA right to the grave plus a fee to open and close it
TimingThe service can be held before, after or without the cremationThe service and burial are usually held together
A place to visitOptional: a niche, garden, family grave or noneA grave, with a headstone or plaque

The averages come from the Cost of Death 2.0 survey of Australians aged over 50, so treat them as a rough guide. Cemetery prices come from the cemeteries' own published lists.

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Why burial usually costs more

Both burial and cremation involve the funeral director's fees, a coffin and transport. Burial adds two cemetery charges: the right to be buried in a particular grave, and a fee for opening and closing it. These vary more than anything else in a funeral bill. Some examples:

CemeteryGraveBurial feePrices at
Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, Sydney$18,630 (most basic)$3,18521 September 2026
Rookwood General Cemetery, Sydneyfrom $8,725 (monumental lawn)$3,00010 April 2025
Springvale Botanical Cemetery, Melbournefrom $6,645 (single lawn grave, including selection fee)Not listed2026 to 2027 fees
Brisbane City Council cemeteriesfrom $2,360 (lawn beam)$3,170October 2026
Broken Hill Cemetery, NSW$872.73 (most basic)$1,4722025 to 2026

A headstone or plaque is usually arranged separately after the funeral and adds to the cost. Weekend burials usually cost more too.

For more cemeteries and crematorium fees in each capital city, see our guides to burial plot prices and cremation costs.

How long you hold the grave also differs. In Western Australia a grant of right of burial is usually issued for 25 years and can be renewed for another 25 years by paying a fee. In NSW an interment right can be perpetual or renewable. Ask the cemetery which one you are buying.

Cremation

Before a cremation, the law requires extra checks. In NSW, for example, the doctor who certified the death completes a cremation certificate and an independent medical referee issues a cremation permit. The funeral director arranges this.

There are a few ways a cremation can happen. In an unattended cremation, no one is present at the crematorium. In a witnessed cremation, family can be there as the coffin goes in, and some crematoriums let a family member start the process. Ask your funeral director which your local crematorium offers.

A service can be held at a chapel, a church or anywhere meaningful, before the cremation or afterwards as a memorial. A direct cremation has no service at all, and many families then hold their own gathering.

The ashes can be kept at home, placed in a cemetery garden, niche wall or family grave, or scattered with the permission of whoever owns or manages the land. See our guide to what to do with ashes.

Burial

A burial is usually held after a service at a chapel, church or the graveside. It gives the family a permanent place to visit, which many people find matters a great deal. Burial is also the expected practice in some faiths, including Judaism and Islam, where it usually happens quickly, so speak with your faith community early.

If you're considering burial, look up the cemetery's published prices first. NSW cemeteries must publish their most basic burial price, and many councils publish their fees online.

Other options

Questions that help families decide

There's no need to decide in the first hours. A good funeral director will give you time and clear prices.

Common questions

Is cremation cheaper than burial in Australia?

Usually, yes, mainly because there is no grave to buy. In the 2023 Cost of Death 2.0 survey, the average cremation cost $8,045 and the average burial $11,039. The gap is much wider where graves are expensive, such as Sydney.

How much does a burial plot cost?

It depends on the cemetery. Published prices we checked range from $872.73 for the most basic grave at Broken Hill to $18,630 at Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park in Sydney, plus a burial fee of $1,472 to $3,710.

Do more Australians choose cremation or burial?

More choose cremation. A 2020 survey by the Australasian Cemeteries and Crematoria Association found that 65% of Australians choose cremation over burial.

Can you be buried with someone after being cremated?

Often, yes. Many cemeteries allow ashes to be placed in an existing family grave for a fee. Rookwood General Cemetery, for example, charges $870 to place ashes in an existing grave (April 2025).

Plan the farewell, one step at a time

Remember Well• guides you through each decision, from burial or cremation to the service itself, and builds a summary you can give your funeral director.

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Sources

This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Prices change, so always confirm current fees with the provider.