The short answer
Cremation vs. burial usually comes down to cost, faith, family wishes and where you want remains to rest. Cremation typically costs less and allows a memorial at any time. Burial gives a permanent grave to visit and is called for by some religious traditions. NFDA projected that 63.4% of Americans would choose cremation in 2025.
Key takeaways
- The NFDA 2023 medians were $6,280 for a funeral with viewing and cremation and $8,300 with viewing and burial, before cemetery charges.
- Burial usually adds cemetery costs: a plot, opening and closing the grave, often a liner or vault, and a headstone.
- Some faith traditions call for burial, and some that allow cremation set rules for the ashes, so ask your clergy.
- Cremated remains can be buried, placed in a niche, kept, or scattered where local rules allow.
- Either choice can include a viewing, a funeral or a memorial service.
Cremation vs. burial at a glance
| Cremation | Burial | |
|---|---|---|
| Funeral home cost (NFDA 2023 median, with viewing) | $6,280 | $8,300 |
| Cemetery costs | Optional. Only if ashes are buried or placed in a niche | Usually a plot, opening and closing, often a liner or vault, and a headstone |
| Lower-cost version | Direct cremation | Immediate (direct) burial |
| Embalming | Not needed unless there is a public viewing | Not required by law, but often needed for a public viewing |
| Casket | Not required. An alternative container can be used | Needed, and can be bought from another seller |
| Timing of the service | A memorial can be held whenever the family chooses | The service is usually held before burial |
| A place to visit | Only if ashes are buried, placed in a niche or memorialized | A permanent grave |
| Religious views | Allowed by many faiths, with rules in some | Required or preferred by some faiths |
| Can plans change later? | Ashes can be moved or divided where faith and law allow | Moving a body after burial is rare and requires permits |
Cost: what really differs
At the funeral home, the NFDA 2023 medians were $8,300 for a funeral with viewing and burial and $6,280 with viewing and cremation. Neither figure includes cemetery charges. For burial, those can be a large share of the total. For cremation, they apply only if the ashes go to a cemetery plot or niche.
The bigger price difference is often between full-service and direct options. Direct cremation and immediate burial skip the viewing and ceremony, and their prices on a General Price List must include the funeral home's basic services fee.
For itemized prices, see cremation cost and our funeral cost breakdown. For national and state averages, see funeral costs.
Timing and the service
With burial, the funeral and committal usually happen together, so planning happens on a set schedule. Some faiths call for burial soon after death.
With cremation, many families hold a memorial later, when relatives can travel. Before a cremation can take place, many states require a waiting period, medical examiner approval, or a signed authorization from the legal next of kin. Ask the provider what your state requires.
Either choice can include a viewing first. A rental casket is one option for a viewing before cremation.
Religion and tradition
Faith often settles the question. Views differ within each tradition, so ask your clergy or faith community. In general:
- Catholic Church: permits cremation, but burial remains the preferred practice. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops says cremated remains should be buried or entombed in a sacred place, not scattered, divided or kept at home.
- Judaism: traditional Jewish law calls for burial. Practice varies among movements and families.
- Islam: traditional practice calls for burial, and cremation is not permitted.
- Eastern Orthodox churches: generally call for burial.
- Hinduism: cremation is the traditional practice.
- Buddhism: cremation is common, and customs vary.
- Many Protestant denominations: allow either choice.
Where remains can rest
| Option | Burial | Cremation |
|---|---|---|
| Cemetery grave | Yes | Yes, often in a smaller urn plot, or in a family grave if cemetery rules allow |
| Mausoleum crypt | Yes (entombment) | Columbarium niche |
| VA national cemetery | Yes, for eligible veterans and family members | Yes, for eligible veterans and family members |
| Natural or green burial ground | Yes, where available | Some accept ashes |
| Kept at home | No | Yes, where faith allows |
| Scattering | No | Yes, with permission on private land and following local or park rules |
| At sea | Rare, with strict EPA rules | Yes, at least three nautical miles from shore, reported to EPA |
Under the EPA's burial-at-sea permit, cremated remains must be placed in ocean waters at least three nautical miles from land, and the EPA must be notified within 30 days. Rules for scattering on land vary by state, county, park and property owner, so check before you plan.
Environmental notes
Neither choice is free of impact, and the details depend on the methods used:
- Cremation uses fuel and releases emissions, but uses little or no cemetery land.
- Conventional burial uses land and often includes embalming fluids, a casket and a concrete or metal vault.
- Green burial usually skips embalming and vaults and uses a biodegradable casket or shroud, at cemeteries that allow it.
- Alkaline hydrolysis (water cremation) and natural organic reduction (human composting) are legal in some states. The Catholic Church says these newer methods do not meet its standard.
Family considerations
- A place to visit. Some families value a grave they can return to. Cremated remains can also be buried or placed in a niche to give that place.
- Family plots. If relatives are buried in a family plot, ask the cemetery whether an urn can be added to an existing grave.
- Agreement among relatives. Many states require the legal next of kin to authorize a cremation. Writing your wishes down can help avoid disagreement.
- Distance. Cremation can make it easier to bring remains to a hometown or divide them among family, where faith allows.
- Veterans. Eligible veterans can have burial or inurnment in a VA national cemetery. See veterans burial benefits.
Questions to help you decide
- Does my faith call for burial, or set rules for cremated remains?
- Do I want a permanent place where family can visit?
- Is there a family plot or a veterans cemetery option?
- What is the total cost of each choice, including cemetery charges?
- Do I want a viewing, a funeral, a memorial later, or none?
- Have I written my choice down and told the person who will carry it out?
Our funeral planning checklist walks through the rest of the decisions. If you want to plan how it will be paid for, see final expense insurance or talk with a Licensed Insurance Agent.
Common questions
Is cremation cheaper than burial?
Usually. The NFDA 2023 medians were $6,280 for a funeral with viewing and cremation and $8,300 with viewing and burial. Burial also usually adds cemetery costs such as a plot, opening and closing the grave and a headstone, which are not in those figures.
Is cremation more common than burial now?
Yes. The NFDA projected a 2025 U.S. cremation rate of 63.4% and a burial rate of 31.6%, and expects cremation to reach 82.3% by 2045.
Can you have a funeral with cremation?
Yes. You can hold a viewing and funeral before cremation, often using a rental casket, or hold a memorial service afterward with the urn present. Direct cremation with a memorial later is another common choice.
Can cremated remains be buried in a cemetery?
Yes. Many cemeteries have urn plots and columbarium niches, and some allow an urn to be added to an existing family grave. Ask the cemetery about its rules and fees. Eligible veterans can be inurned in a VA national cemetery.
Does the Catholic Church allow cremation?
Yes. The Church permits cremation, though burial is preferred. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops says the ashes should be buried or entombed in a sacred place, and not scattered, divided or kept at home.
Where can I scatter ashes?
On private land with the owner's permission, and on public land or water where local rules allow. At sea, federal rules require placement at least three nautical miles from land, with notice to the EPA within 30 days. Check state, county and park rules first.
Is embalming required for burial?
No state law requires routine embalming. A funeral home may require it for a public viewing. Immediate burial without a viewing usually does not need embalming, and refrigeration is often an option.
Which is better for the environment, cremation or burial?
Each has trade-offs. Cremation uses fuel and releases emissions but little land. Conventional burial uses land and often embalming fluids and a vault. Green burial, and in some states water cremation or human composting, are other options.
Sources
- NFDA: 2023 General Price List Study (national medians)
- NFDA: Statistics (cremation and burial rates)
- FTC: Types of funerals
- FTC: The FTC Funeral Rule
- FTC: Buying a cemetery site
- EPA: Burial at sea
- USCCB: Cremation and the Order of Christian Funerals
- USCCB: On the Proper Disposition of Bodily Remains (2023)
- VA: Burial in a VA national cemetery