Even the cheapest way to bury a loved one can be expensive
The least expensive traditional funeral option is an immediate burial. It consists of the very barest essentials. Your loved one’s remains are picked up at the place they passed, transported to a funeral home or morgue for just long enough to secure the death certificate, and then whisked away to the cemetery for a burial. This process can be lower, but typically comes out to around $2,600.
An immediate burial doesn’t include the cost of a gravesite or the cost of digging the grave. If your loved one hasn’t already picked out a site and paid for it, this is an additional cost. In the case of a sudden passing, it is unlikely that your loved one has made these preparations.
An inexpensive grave starts at approximately $1,000, and the price can vary greatly by location. For instance, the average price of a grave in Oregon is around $3,100. In Washington, it’s $3,300, and in Minnesota you can expect to pay around $4,700 for grave space. After purchasing space, the cost of digging the grave can be another $1,000.
Based on these numbers, the least expensive traditional burial option comes out to $3,500-$5,500. If you lose your loved one suddenly and have a limited budget, you may wish to consider a less expensive funeral arrangement.
Additionally, immediate burials are inherently more time sensitive, and a memorial service must be planned fairly quickly. This can put a lot of unnecessary pressure on families, who deserve the flexibility to plan a meaningful and affordable memorial in their own time.
