Funeral prices by state: where funerals cost the most in Australia
Funeral costs in Australia are not uniform. The same type of funeral can cost thousands more in one state than another, driven by cemetery fee structures, the concentration of corporate providers, and whether the state has any pricing transparency laws at all.
This guide compares funeral pricing across all eight states and territories using current data. Two important notes before reading the numbers: state averages come from different sources using different methodologies, and rankings shift depending on which methodology you use. We present both and explain the differences.
Every price here is a base advertised package price unless labelled otherwise. Where consumer-reported total spend data is used, it is labelled as such.
Two ways to measure state pricing
Advertised base prices are what providers list on their websites. The 2025 eziFunerals Australian Funeral Index compiles these into state averages based on advertised minimum packages. This measure excludes third-party disbursements, extras, and situational charges.
Consumer-reported total spend is what families actually pay. The 2023 Australian Seniors Cost of Death Report surveyed consumers about their total out-of-pocket costs including all extras and disbursements.
These two methods produce different rankings. The eziFunerals index ranks VIC as the most expensive state. Consumer survey data shows the ACT with the highest burial costs. Both are valid measurements of different things.
State averages at a glance
2025 eziFunerals Funeral Index (advertised base prices):
| State | Average | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|
| VIC | $8,200 | Highest |
| NSW | $7,950 | High |
| WA | $7,850 | High |
| QLD | $7,600 | Mid |
| TAS | $7,400 | Mid |
| SA | $7,200 | Lower |
| NT | $7,100 | Lowest (limited data) |
| ACT | No data | Not reported |
The national average across all states is $7,750 (advertised base prices).
These figures exclude cemetery fees for burials, which vary dramatically by location and can add $4,100 to $24,000+ on top.
State-by-state breakdown
New South Wales
Direct cremation: $1,900 (Rosemary Funeral Services) to $7,918 (White Lady, Bankstown) Burial (funeral director plus cemetery): $6,800 to $15,000+ depending on cemetery
NSW has the widest price spread of any state, largely because it contains both the cheapest independent providers and the most expensive corporate-branded outlets.
Cemetery fees (selected):
Macquarie Park (Sydney): burial interment $3,075, plots from $10,995, ash placement $900, concrete capping up to $1,490. Heritage estate plots at Castlebrook (Sydney) reach $154,800. The NSW burial tax adds $156 to every burial in the state.
Regulation: NSW is the only state with a mandatory Funeral Information Standard requiring online pricing disclosure. A 2022 IPART review found 35% of providers were not complying.
Victoria
Direct cremation: $990 (Bereavement Assistance, charitable, means-tested) to $5,355 (T J Scott and Son) Burial (funeral director plus cemetery): $5,005 to $8,500+ (excluding metro cemetery premium)
VIC has the lowest direct cremation floor in Australia through Bereavement Assistance, a charitable provider. But burial costs in Melbourne are among the highest nationally. Melbourne metropolitan burial plots average around $13,028.
The 2025 eziFunerals index ranked VIC as having the highest average advertised funeral price at $8,200.
Data confidence: High. Multiple provider price lists available across metro and regional areas.
Queensland
Direct cremation: $1,980 (Tony Hollands Funerals) to $5,420 (Morleys Funerals, Townsville) Burial (funeral director plus cemetery): $6,337 to $8,000+
QLD sits in the middle of the national range. Council-operated cemeteries in QLD tend to have lower fee structures than the private or trust-operated cemeteries common in NSW and VIC.
Tony Hollands Funerals includes after-hours transfers at no extra cost, which removes one of the most common surprise charges in other states.
Data confidence: High. Good spread of provider price lists across metro and regional.
Western Australia
Direct cremation: $2,800 to $4,160 (Greenfields Funerals) Burial (funeral director plus cemetery): $9,249 to $16,500+
WA ranks among the most expensive states for funerals, and it has a structural difference that no other state shares: cemetery plots are typically sold as 25-year grants, not permanent purchases. When the grant expires, the family must renew (repurchase) or the site may be reused. This creates a generational cost that does not apply in most other states.
Cemetery fees (WA Metro Cemeteries Board):
Adult cremation: $1,354. Burial interment: $1,698. 25-year grant of right of burial: $2,618 to $2,726.
WA has no mandatory pricing disclosure law. Pricing transparency relies on voluntary compliance.
Data confidence: High. WA Metro Cemeteries Board publishes a detailed fee schedule.
South Australia
Direct cremation: $2,000 to $2,829 Burial (funeral director plus cemetery): $7,500 to $15,000+
SA generally sits at the lower end of the national range, with the 2025 eziFunerals average at $7,200. However, pricing data for SA relies more heavily on aggregator estimates than on primary provider price lists. Fewer SA funeral directors publish itemised pricing online compared to NSW or VIC.
Data confidence: Medium. Limited primary provider price lists available.
Tasmania
Direct cremation: $2,200 to $6,000 Burial (funeral director plus cemetery): $8,000 to $18,433
The high end of TAS cremation pricing includes water cremation (aquamation) through Alluvium, which charges $4,400 to $6,000. Standard flame cremation sits at the lower end of the range.
Cemetery fees (City of Launceston):
Cremation: $693. Standard burial interment: $1,529. Right of burial: $2,065.
Data confidence: Low. TAS is one of two states (along with NT) where no traditional funeral director price lists were available from any source in our research. The ranges here rely on aggregator data and cemetery fee schedules.
Australian Capital Territory
Direct cremation: $2,500 to $3,587 (White Lady, Tuggeranong) Burial (funeral director plus cemetery): $9,000 to $22,361
The ACT has the highest reported average burial cost of any Australian state or territory. The 2023 Australian Seniors survey reported consumer total spend on burial in the ACT averaging $20,310.
Cemetery fees (Gungahlin):
Burial fee: $3,227. Cremation: $1,074.
The ACT was not included in the 2025 eziFunerals index due to insufficient data points.
Data confidence: Medium. Limited provider coverage but some cemetery fee schedules available.
Northern Territory
Direct cremation: $2,500+ (limited data) Burial (funeral director plus cemetery): $9,500 to $13,172
The NT has the lowest average in the 2025 eziFunerals index at $7,100, but this figure should be treated with caution. The NT has the smallest funeral market in Australia, very few providers, and no provider price lists were available from any source in our research.
Cemetery fees (Litchfield / Thorak):
Cremation: from $1,002. Burial interment: $1,269. Burial plot: $1,387.
Data confidence: Low. Aggregator data only. No local funeral director price lists available.
What drives the state differences
Cemetery fee structures. State and local governments or trusts control cemetery pricing. WA plots are 25-year grants. NSW has a $156 burial tax. Melbourne metro plots average $13,028. These charges are set outside the funeral director's control and vary more between states than the funeral director's own fees do.
Corporate provider concentration. States with a higher concentration of InvoCare-branded outlets (NSW, VIC) tend to have higher averages. InvoCare holds an estimated 24% to 26% of the total Australian funeral market (ACCC, 2021). A 2019 Gathered Here report found that providers with 5 or more branches charged 20.81% above the national average at the time.
Metro versus regional. Within every state, metropolitan funerals cost more than regional ones. The gap is driven primarily by cemetery plot prices, property costs, and the concentration of premium-priced corporate providers in metro areas.
Regulation. Only NSW has a mandatory pricing disclosure law. All other states rely on voluntary compliance. In states without disclosure requirements, consumers have less information to compare prices before making a decision under time pressure.
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the most expensive funerals?
VIC, NSW and WA are consistently among the most expensive. The 2025 eziFunerals index ranked VIC highest at $8,200 (advertised base prices). The ACT has the highest reported burial average at $20,310 (2023 consumer survey). Rankings vary by methodology.
Which state has the cheapest funerals?
SA ($7,200) and QLD ($7,600) sit at the lower end of the 2025 eziFunerals index. VIC has the lowest direct cremation floor nationally ($990, charitable provider, means-tested).
Why are WA funerals structured differently?
WA cemetery plots are sold as 25-year grants, not permanent purchases. Families face renewal costs that do not exist in most other states.
How reliable are the state averages?
Data confidence is high for NSW, VIC, QLD, and WA. Medium for SA and ACT. Low for TAS and NT, which have very limited provider pricing data.
Does any state require funeral directors to publish prices?
Only NSW, under the Funeral Information Standard. A 2022 IPART review found 35% non-compliance even in NSW. All other states have no mandatory pricing disclosure law.
When you are ready
This guide is general information to help Australian families plan, compiled and editorially reviewed by the Funerals Direct team from publicly available sources. It is not professional, legal, or financial advice. Funeral prices change and vary by provider, region, and circumstances - always request an itemised written quote. For prepaid funerals, funeral bonds, or funeral insurance, speak with an independent financial adviser or a free financial counsellor on 1800 007 007.
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