The typical cost of cremation includes fees incurred in organising the cremation, collection and transportation of the body, mortuary preparation of the body (including care), and completing the documentation required by law (including issuing the Death and Cremation Certificates). Several optional items are available for purchase, including celebrants, urns, memorial plaques, and venues for cremation ceremonies.

Service type influences the cost of services. An example of this in the range of $1,500-$3,000 for a direct or basic cremation, which is the price without a ceremony. However, if you want your cremation with a memorial service or other form of ceremony or remembrance, expect to pay a greater price, and the price will depend on your level of customisation of the service.

Memorial service fees vary based on all factors, including the place of service, duration of service, and the cost of a celebrant/clergy, facility rental, picture/video recognitions, food service, flower arrangements and the cost of other personalised components. A simple service may cost less than a large, attractive service, but the larger the service, the higher the total cost will be.

Make a list of the things that matter most to both you and your family – this may include choosing an unattended memorial or simple cremation over a traditional ceremony; doing so could also save you some money. You may wish to compare quotes and package options to help ensure you stay within your budget when shopping for a funeral home.

 Certainly. A lot of families have a separate memorial service from the actual cremation. This allows the family to create a service that includes things such as speeches, music, slide shows, personalised tributes, etc., but they can still take advantage of less expensive cremation prices.