What Does a Funeral Cost? What Are the Most Important Cost Factors?

The loss of a loved one is difficult - financial uncertainty should not be an additional burden at this time. In this guide, you will find out what funeral costs you can expect, how the individual items are made up and what options there are to cover or reduce the costs.

Frequently asked questions about funeral costs

How much does a funeral cost on average?

Costs vary widely depending on the type of funeral, region, and individual wishes:

• Simple anonymous funeral: from approx. €2,000–3,000
• Average funeral: approx. €6,000–12,000
• Elaborate burial with a large ceremony and high-quality gravestone: over €15,000

Who has to pay the funeral costs?

The law sets out a clear order:

1. The estate: First, the deceased’s assets cover the costs.
2. The heirs: If the estate is not sufficient, the heirs are liable with their personal assets (statutory obligation to bear the costs).
3. Relatives with a duty of support: If there are no heirs who can pay, a spouse, children, or parents may be required to pay – even if they have disclaimed the inheritance.
4. The social welfare office: In cases of proven need, the social welfare office covers the costs of a simple, dignified funeral (§ 74 SGB XII).

What are funeral costs made up of?

The total costs are divided into three main areas:

• Funeral director services: Transfer, hygienic care, coffin or urn, organization, advice
• Cemetery fees: Grave right of use (15–30 years), interment, chapel, if applicable cremation
• Other costs: Gravestone, grave design, funeral celebrant, flowers, catering, death certificates

Are cemetery fees negotiable?

No. Cemetery fees are set by the municipality or the church organization in a fee schedule. They vary considerably depending on the community and the type of grave. If there are several cemeteries to choose from, it’s worth comparing.

What is the cheapest type of funeral?

Anonymous cremation is usually the cheapest. The urn is interred in a communal area without individual marking. This eliminates costs for a gravestone, grave design, and later grave maintenance. Sea and woodland burials are also often cheaper than traditional burials.

Can I deduct funeral costs from tax?

Yes, under certain conditions. If the estate is not sufficient and you, as an heir or a person obliged to provide support, bear the costs, you can claim them as extraordinary expenses. Only the amount that exceeds your personal “reasonable burden” is taken into account – depending on income, marital status, and number of children. Costs covered by insurance are not deductible.

Overview of funeral costs

The following table shows typical ranges for the individual cost blocks:

Types of funerals compared by cost

Choosing the type of funeral has a major impact on total costs. Here is an overview:

Burial (in the ground)

The traditional burial in a coffin is usually the most expensive option. It requires a larger grave with a longer term, a coffin, and usually a gravestone. Ongoing grave maintenance also incurs costs.

Typical costs: €7,000–15,000

Cremation

After cremation, the ashes are interred in an urn. Urn graves are smaller, and fees are correspondingly lower. Although cremation costs apply, the urn is cheaper than a coffin. The interment can take place in a cemetery, a memorial forest, or at sea.

Typical costs (urn grave in a cemetery): €4,500–9,000

Woodland burial

The urn is interred at the roots of a tree in a memorial forest (e.g., FriedWald or RuheForst). Costs for a gravestone and grave maintenance are eliminated. You pay a fee for the tree plot and the interment.

Typical costs: €4,000–7,000

Sea burial

The ashes are committed to the sea in a water-soluble urn. Costs include the shipping company and the ceremony at sea. There are no grave maintenance costs.

Typical costs: €3,500–6,500

Anonymous burial

The cheapest option: The urn is interred in a communal area without individual marking. There are no costs for a gravestone, grave design, or grave maintenance.

Typical costs: €2,000–4,000

Example calculation: How much does a cremation cost?

A concrete example helps to better classify the costs. The following scenario shows a typical cremation with a funeral service in a mid-sized city:

Depending on the region, provider, and individual wishes, the total may be higher or lower. Optional additions: gravestone (from approx. €1,500), catering after the service (from approx. €300), obituary notice in the newspaper (from approx. €150).

Regional differences in funeral costs

In Germany, funeral costs can differ noticeably by region—especially cemetery fees. The following table shows tendencies, not fixed rules:

Financing and assistance with funeral costs

Check funeral pre-planning

Before paying the costs yourself, check whether the deceased made provisions:

• Burial insurance (Sterbegeldversicherung): Pays a fixed amount to the surviving dependants.
• Funeral pre-need contract: A contract with a funeral director that has already been paid for.
• Life insurance: Can be used to cover funeral costs.

Apply for a social welfare funeral

If you can demonstrably not bear the costs, the social welfare office covers the costs for a simple, dignified funeral. You file the application with the social welfare office at the deceased’s last place of residence. The legal basis is § 74 SGB XII.

Deduct funeral costs for tax purposes

If funeral costs exceed the estate and you pay the difference yourself, you can claim it as extraordinary expenses in your tax return. However, the tax office only considers the amount that exceeds your reasonable burden.

Tips: Reduce funeral costs sensibly

Even with a small budget, a dignified funeral can be arranged:

• Obtain multiple quotes: Compare at least three detailed, written estimates from different funeral directors. Make sure funeral director services and third-party costs (cemetery, crematorium, stonemason) are listed separately.
• Rethink the type of funeral: Cremation or a natural burial is often cheaper than a traditional burial. Anonymous interment is the least expensive option.
• Choose simple furnishings: A basic coffin or a simple urn serves the same purpose as expensive options.
• Review the grave type: A single grave costs less than a family/selectable grave. With anonymous graves or natural burials, gravestone and grave maintenance are omitted.
• Small, private service: A ceremony with few guests reduces costs for catering and room rental.
• Limit flowers: One central arrangement is often enough—instead of many individual wreaths.
• Use a digital obituary notice: A digital obituary notice costs a fraction of a newspaper announcement and reaches relatives directly.
• Contribute your own work: You can create condolence cards, thank-you notes, or decorations yourself. Free templates can help.

Checklist: What you should do now

1. Check whether funeral pre-planning exists (burial insurance, pre-need contract).
2. Clarify who is obligated to bear the costs.
3. In case of financial hardship: Contact the social welfare office as early as possible, ideally before commissioning a funeral director.
4. Obtain at least three written estimates—with a separate breakdown of funeral director services and third-party costs.
5. Decide together with the family on the type and scope of the funeral.
6. Keep all receipts for possible tax claims.

Further Information / Sources

• Statista: Average costs of funerals in Germany
• Discover Our Free Word Templates for Obituaries (obituary.design)
• What Does an Obituary in The Newspaper Cost?