Planning a funeral is time-sensitive and can be challenging. It’s also a purchase with many line items. This guide explains what you’re paying for, what’s optional, and how to compare quotes efficiently.
Free tool: Download the Funeral Cost Worksheet (Excel)
The quick take
- Ask for a written, itemized price list before you agree to anything. In most provinces and territories, providers must give you a clear breakdown of every product and service.
- Compare the same items across providers.
- Many costs are optional. You can choose a simple cremation or a simple burial without extras and hold a memorial at home or in a community space if that fits better.
What shows up on a funeral quote
Professional services
Administration, paperwork, registration of death, care of the deceased, staff time, and use of facilities.
Transportation
Transfer from the place of death to the funeral home and the vehicle to the cemetery or crematorium. Extra mileage can add cost.
Casket, urn, containers
You can buy these from the funeral home or from a third-party retailer. Ask about any delivery or handling fees.
Cemetery or crematorium fees
Plot or niche purchase, opening and closing of the grave, cremation fee, marker installation, and care and maintenance charges.
Real price ranges in Canada (CAD)
Prices vary by city and provider, but these estimates will help you plan.
Caskets
- Budget: basic wood or cloth-covered containers $700–$1,600
- Mid-range: many wood or metal models $2,500–$5,000
- Premium: fine hardwoods and specialty finishes $6,000–$14,000+
Urns
- Common retail range $150–$400
- Premium or companion urns $400–$800+
Grave markers and headstones
- Flat granite markers often $1,150–$3,100+ (size and material drive price)
- Upright monuments vary widely by style and stone (ask your cemetery for specs)
Burial plots
- Very local. In large cities, adult full-casket locations can run ~$20,000–$30,000+ at certain cemeteries
- Many communities outside major metros are lower. Always check the posted price list
Opening and closing of the grave
- Many public price lists show $1,600–$2,000 weekdays (weekends and extra depth cost more)
Cremation fee or direct cremation package
- Basic packages commonly $900–$2,700 depending on inclusions
Embalming
- Often optional. Many Canadian price lists show about $400–$700 depending on what’s included (basic preparation vs. more complete embalming).
- Note: embalming is the disinfection, restoration and preservation of a person’s body for the purpose of creating time for a family to say their final goodbyes.
Why the spread:
City vs rural pricing, the cemetery you choose, and what each package includes. To compare fairly, line up the same items and ask for the total in writing.
What is required vs optional
- Required if you choose burial: cemetery interment fees (and care and maintenance charges).
- Required if you choose cremation: the cremation fee.
- Usually optional: embalming, chapel or viewing room, reception room, printed programs, flowers, keepsakes.
- You can buy elsewhere: caskets, urns, and markers from third-party retailers. Confirm delivery or handling fees first.
How to compare quotes in ten minutes
- Decide on burial or cremation first. That choice drives most costs.
- Ask for an itemized estimate. One line per service and product, plus taxes and any third-party fees.
- Remove what you don’t want. If a package includes items you won’t use, ask for the price without them.
- Confirm cemetery costs separately. Plot, opening and closing, marker, and installation are billed by the cemetery.
- Use the worksheet to compare the same items side by side.
- → Funeral Cost Worksheet (Excel)
Ways to save without losing what matters
- Choose a simple cremation or simple burial, then hold a memorial at home or in a community space.
- Pick a modest casket or an urn that fits your budget.
- Compare cemeteries. Urban plots can be much higher than nearby communities.
- Ask about taxes, administration fees, mileage, and weekend surcharges up front.
Help paying for a funeral in Canada
- CPP Death Benefit: For deaths on or after Jan 1, 2025, pays $2,500 plus a possible $2,500 top-up if certain conditions are met (maximum $5,000). Apply online or with form ISP-1200.
- Veterans: The Last Post Fund may help eligible Veterans with funeral and burial costs, including a military gravestone.
- Provincial and municipal assistance: Many regions offer help when the estate and family have no resources (for example, Ontario Works funeral assistance and BC’s supports). Check your local social services page.
- Employer or union benefits: Some plans include life insurance or small death benefits.
- Community and faith groups: Some provide small grants or in-kind help with space, food, or volunteers.
FAQ
Do I have to buy everything from one place?
No. You can purchase caskets, urns, and markers from a third-party retailer. Ask about delivery or handling fees.
Is embalming required?
Not in many cases. Ask why it’s suggested and what it costs.
What should I ask for before I sign?
A written, itemized estimate with every line shown and taxes included, plus a copy of the general price list.
Why are cemetery costs separate from the funeral home’s quote?
Cemeteries set their own fees for property, opening and closing, markers, and maintenance. These are billed by the cemetery, not the funeral home.
