The costs involved in a funeral service vary greatly depending on a number of factors; the type of funeral you want, whether you have a wake afterwards, the number of attendees, what happens to the body after the service, and whether you use a funeral director or organise the details yourself.
The average cost of a funeral in New Zealand is in the region of $10,000 but there are many different ways to farewell a loved one. Read our funeral budgeting examples for more details about costs for different types and sizes of farewells.
How much does a funeral cost?
To help you prepare and budget, below is an outline of some of the costs you may need to consider when planning a funeral. These costs are only indicative, actual costs will vary depending on supplier, location and your individual choices.
| Option | Approx. cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Funeral Home/Director professional service fee | $3000 – $5000 | |
| Care of the deceased/mortuary fee | $400 – $900 | Costs vary depending on the level of care from partial including the use of a cool room to full mortuary care including preparing the body and embalming. |
| Cool blanket | $80 per night | If you would like to keep your loved one at home instead of choosing mortuary care. |
| Transfer fee | $0-400 | Transfer of your loved one from the place of death to the funeral home or location of service. You are able to do this yourself if you wish. |
| Doctor’s fee | $50 – $300 | Providing necessary medical documents and signing off on death certificate. |
| Death certificate | $33 | |
| Death Notice | $100 | Costs vary depending on publication. |
| Hearse Hire | $300 – $500 | |
| Hiring of Church | $200 | |
| Celebrant or Minister | $300 – $500 | |
| Casket | $600 – $3000 + | Approx. $600 for eco options and approx. $3000 for solid pine, custom made and premium options can cost significantly more. |
| Music | $0- $200 | Costs vary depending on choices e.g. playing your own music through Spotify or CD to hiring a harpist or organist. |
| Floral arrangements | $0 – $500 | Costs vary depending on number, size and type of arrangements, and if you use a florist or provide your own arrangements. |
| Service sheets | $100 – $500 | |
| Memorial book | $50 – $100 | |
| Photography Tribute | $0 – $200 | Costs vary depending on if you create yourself or use the graphics team at the funeral home. |
| Video/streaming | $0 – $500 | Costs vary depending on if you hire an AV/Videographer or facilitate yourself using Zoom, YouTube, Facebook Live etc. |
| Cremation fee | $1000 | |
| Urn | $80 – $300 | Temporary urns are available if you plan to scatter the ashes. |
| Burial plot | $600 – $3000 | Costs vary depending on location but can be approx. $600 for a child plot or up to $3000 for an adult plot. |
| Digging fee | $900 | |
| Headstone | $1000 – $5000 | |
| Catering | $10 – $60 per head |
frequently asked questions
The average cost of a funeral in New Zealand is in the region of $10,000 but there are many different ways to farewell a loved one.
A direct cremation—where the body is cremated without a funeral service—is the lowest-cost option, often costing under $3,000.
A ‘direct cremation’ (also called simple cremation) is simply, transfer of the deceased into the care of a funeral home, with no other family involvement or ceremony when there. The funeral home obtains all medical documentation, transfers the body directly to the crematorium, and then returns the ashes.
No, embalming is not a legal requirement in New Zealand. If bodies are well cared for, using icepacks, refrigeration and other strategies, they can be cared for without embalming for up to a week.
More about embalming…
Yes, Work and Income NZ (WINZ) offers a funeral grant for those who qualify based on income and assets, with a maximum grant (as of April 2026) of approximately $2,697. If the death was accidental, ACC may pay up to $7,990 (as of July 2025).
Some families then choosing to remember their loved one at a simple memorial celebration at home, the beach or at a local club.
Report on funeral grants – April 2026
The oft-quoted $10,000 cost for a funeral is out of whack with reality, and doesn’t even cover the average cost for a modest cremation let alone a burial, according to a new report by the Funeral Directors Association.
A survey of typical funeral home prices in the 2026 Funeral Industry Trends Report, to be published next week, shows a full cremation costs an average $11,700, and can range from $10,000 to $13,900 across the country. By contrast, the average burial costs $14,300, ranging from $12,800 to $17,000.
“For many years, commentators have quoted $10,000 as the ‘average’ cost for a funeral,” the report says. “It is clear from these prices that an overall average of $10,000 is now well below the average cost for a modestly sized attended funeral.” Read this article…
