Every figure on this page comes from a government source, a published price list or a named survey, with the date we checked it. Prices change, so use them as a guide and confirm with the provider before you commit.
Funeral costs in Australia at a glance
| What | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A funeral, depending on the type | $8,000 to around $20,000 | Moneysmart (ASIC), checked October 2026 |
| Average total paid for a burial | $11,039 | Australian Seniors, Cost of Death 2.0 survey, 2023 |
| Average total paid for a cremation | $8,045 | Australian Seniors, Cost of Death 2.0 survey, 2023 |
| Direct cremation (no service), advertised in NSW | Median $3,749 | Funerals Direct NSW price index, September 2026 |
| Crematorium fee only, adult, weekday | $630 to $826 at the Sydney and Brisbane crematoria we checked | Published price lists, 2024 to 2026 |
Survey averages are what people aged over 50 reported paying in 2023, so treat them as a rough guide. The single biggest difference in cost is burial or cremation. The second is where you live, because cemetery fees vary enormously.
Average funeral costs by state
These are the average costs of a standard funeral reported in the 2023 Cost of Death 2.0 survey. Metro means the capital city.
| State or territory | Burial, metro | Burial, regional | Cremation, metro | Cremation, regional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACT | $20,310 | n/a | $8,081 | n/a |
| NSW | $19,343 | $5,583 | $6,419 | $5,151 |
| Victoria | $19,250 | $10,980 | $6,639 | $7,493 |
| Queensland | $15,298 | $12,308 | $6,565 | $5,891 |
| Tasmania | $15,275 | $13,347 | $9,011 | $6,773 |
| WA | $14,457 | $8,751 | $7,933 | $6,983 |
| SA | $12,798 | $14,008 | $4,525 | $9,410 |
The survey's figures for each state come from a smaller group of people, so a single unusual funeral can move them. Our state guides use current published prices instead: NSW, Victoria and Queensland.
How much is a burial plot?
A burial has two cemetery charges on top of the funeral director's fees: the right to be buried in a particular grave (often called an interment right or right of burial), and a fee for opening and closing the grave. Both vary widely between cemeteries. Some examples from published price lists:
| Cemetery | Grave | Burial fee | Prices at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, Sydney | $18,630 (most basic) | $3,185 | 21 September 2026 |
| Rookwood General Cemetery, Sydney | from $8,725 (monumental lawn) | $3,000 | 10 April 2025 |
| Brisbane City Council (Pinnaroo, Mt Gravatt, Hemmant) | from $2,360 (lawn beam) | $3,170 | October 2026 |
| Sandgate Cemetery, Newcastle | $1,540 (most basic) | $3,710 | 13 October 2026 |
| Broken Hill Cemetery, NSW | $872.73 (most basic) | $1,472 | 2025 to 2026 |
Our guide to burial plot prices in Australia has more cemeteries, including Melbourne, Perth and Canberra.
NSW cemeteries add a small government levy as well ($162 plus GST for a burial in 2026 to 2027). Weekend burials usually cost more: Rookwood General adds $1,750 for a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.
In Western Australia a grant of right of burial is usually issued for 25 years and can be renewed for a further 25 years by paying a fee. If it isn't renewed, control of the grave goes back to the cemetery authority. In NSW, an interment right can be perpetual or renewable, so check which one you are buying.
How much does cremation cost?
The crematorium's own fee is modest. Published adult cremation fees we checked:
- Macquarie Park Crematorium, Sydney: $630 on a weekday before 3.30pm, $1,240 on a Saturday and $1,550 on a Sunday (prices at 10 December 2025)
- Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, Sydney: $697.30 on a weekday, including the NSW levy (21 September 2026)
- Brisbane City Council crematoria: $755 for an adult (October 2026)
- Rookwood Crematorium, Sydney: $826.10 for a weekday cremation with no service, including the levy (from 1 July 2024)
For Melbourne, Perth and Canberra crematorium fees, see our guide to how much cremation costs in Australia.
The rest of the cost of a cremation sits with the funeral director: their professional fee, transfers and care of the person who died, the coffin and any service. A direct cremation leaves out the service and viewing, which is why it is usually the least expensive option. Our guide to burial or cremation covers the other differences.
What you are actually paying for
Most funeral bills are made up of the same parts. Ask for each one to be listed separately in your quote.
- Funeral director's professional fee for arranging the funeral, paperwork and staff
- Transfers and care of the person who has died
- Coffin or casket, which varies widely in price
- Disbursements the funeral director pays to others for you: cemetery or crematorium fees, the death certificate and doctor's certificates
- Service costs such as a chapel or venue, a celebrant, flowers and printed orders of service
- Afterwards: a headstone or plaque, placing the ashes, death notices and catering, which are often not in the funeral quote at all
Funeral price rules in each state
Several states now require funeral directors to publish their prices, which makes comparing them much easier:
- NSW: funeral directors must display itemised prices at each place of business and on their website, show their least expensive package if they offer packages, and give an itemised quote with the total before you sign. NSW cemeteries must also publish their most basic burial and ash interment prices.
- Queensland: since 1 July 2022, funeral directors must display itemised prices at each place of business and on any public website, including their least expensive option.
- Western Australia: since 1 May 2023, the Funeral Pricing Code requires an itemised price list including a basic funeral package, displayed on the website if there is one, and an itemised quote with the total before you sign.
- Victoria: from 1 August 2025, funeral providers must prominently display their price list, including coffin prices, and from 26 May 2026 the list must be itemised and identify the least expensive package.
Wherever you are, you can ask for an itemised written quote before you agree to anything. Our guide on how to choose a funeral director has more on comparing them.
Ways to pay for a funeral
Moneysmart, the government's money guide, describes these options for people planning ahead:
- Savings in an everyday, term deposit or savings account, with your family told where the money is
- Superannuation, which can help, though a death benefit claim usually has to be made first, so the family may need to pay and be repaid later
- A prepaid funeral, where you compare packages and ask for a full list of what is included
- A funeral bond, which can only be used for your funeral, so read the product disclosure statement and fees first
- Funeral insurance, which Moneysmart warns can cost a lot more than the benefit your family receives, because premiums usually continue for life
After a death, money can also come from the estate, including funds a bank releases for funeral costs. Services Australia bereavement payments may help if you are eligible, and the Department of Veterans' Affairs can help if the person received a DVA pension. If the family cannot pay, some states arrange a basic funeral, such as Queensland's Funeral Assistance Scheme and destitute funerals paid by the local health service in NSW.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What is your least expensive burial or cremation, and what does it include?
- Which items are disbursements, and are they estimates or final?
- Is there an extra charge for a weekend or after-hours service?
- Can we supply our own coffin, and is there a fee if we do?
- What is the total, and when is payment due?
Common questions
How much does a funeral cost in Australia?
Moneysmart says funerals can cost from $8,000 to around $20,000, depending on the type of funeral you choose (checked October 2026). In a 2023 survey, people aged over 50 reported paying an average of $11,039 for a burial and $8,045 for a cremation.
How much is a burial plot in Australia?
It depends on the cemetery. Published prices range from $872.73 for the most basic grave at Broken Hill Cemetery to $18,630 at Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park in Sydney, plus a burial fee of $1,472 to $3,710 at the cemeteries we checked in 2025 and 2026.
How much does a cremation cost in Australia?
The crematorium fee itself was $630 to $826 for a weekday adult cremation at the Sydney and Brisbane crematoria we checked. The full cost is mostly funeral director fees: advertised direct cremations in NSW had a median price of $3,749 in September 2026, and the average standard cremation funeral reported in a 2023 survey was $8,045.
Is burial or cremation cheaper?
Cremation is usually cheaper, mainly because there is no grave to buy. In the 2023 Cost of Death 2.0 survey, the average burial cost $11,039 and the average cremation $8,045, and the gap is much wider in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra where graves are expensive.
What is the cheapest funeral option in Australia?
Direct cremation, with no service or viewing, is usually the least expensive option. Many families choose it and hold their own memorial afterwards.
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Sources
- Moneysmart (ASIC): Paying for your funeral, checked October 2026
- Australian Seniors: The Cost of Death 2.0 report, November 2023 (survey of 1,200 Australians aged 50 and over, conducted by CoreData)
- Funerals Direct: NSW funeral price index, September 2026 (a comparison site that collects advertised prices)
- Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park: Basic price list, 21 September 2026
- Rookwood General Cemetery: Price guide, 10 April 2025
- Sandgate Cemetery: Basic price list, 13 October 2026
- Broken Hill City Council: Basic adult burial prices, 2025 to 2026
- Brisbane City Council: Cemeteries fees and charges, checked October 2026
- Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium: Price guide, 10 December 2025
- Rookwood Crematorium: Basic adult cremation price breakdown, from 1 July 2024
- Cemeteries & Crematoria NSW: Interment services levy
- City of Busselton (WA): Grant of right of burial FAQs
- NSW Government: FAQ for funeral directors
- Queensland legislation: Fair Trading (Funeral Pricing) Regulation 2022
- Consumer Protection WA: Funeral pricing
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: Law changes to increase price transparency
- NSW Government: Ways to pay for a funeral
- Coroners Court of Queensland: Funeral Assistance Scheme
This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Prices change, so always confirm current fees with the provider.