How Much Does a Green Burial Cost?

A green burial in the United States usually costs between about $1,000 and $4,000 for the plot and interment at a green or natural cemetery, with the full cost often landing between roughly $2,000 and $5,000 once a biodegradable casket or shroud and transport are added. That is generally less than a conventional burial, which the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) reported at a median of $8,300 in 2023, or $9,995 when a burial vault is included. Green burial costs less mainly because it skips three of the most expensive line items in a traditional funeral: embalming, a sealed metal casket, and a concrete outer burial vault.

The exact figure depends on the cemetery you choose, the region you live in, and whether you buy a simple shroud or a handmade wooden casket. Below is a full breakdown of what a green burial includes, what each part costs, and how the total compares to conventional burial.

What is a green burial?

A green burial, also called a natural burial, is a burial that lets the body return to the earth as directly and simply as possible. The body is not embalmed with chemical preservatives, it is placed in a biodegradable container such as a shroud or an untreated wooden casket, and it is buried without a concrete vault or grave liner, according to the Green Burial Council, the nonprofit that sets green burial standards in North America.

None of the elements a green burial leaves out are legally required. The Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule states plainly that "no state law requires routine embalming for every death," that refrigeration is often an acceptable alternative, and that outer burial containers "are not required by state law anywhere in the U.S.," per the FTC. Families choose green burial for environmental reasons, for simplicity, and often for cost.

Interest in the practice is rising. In the NFDA's 2024 Consumer Awareness and Preferences Study, 68 percent of respondents said they would be interested in exploring green funeral options, up from 51.6 percent in the association's 2019 study, according to the NFDA.

How much does a green burial cost?

A green burial typically costs about $2,000 to $5,000 in total for most families, though it can run lower or higher depending on the choices made. The single largest component is the green cemetery plot and interment, which the Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA), a national nonprofit consumer advocacy group, estimates at $1,000 to $4,000 for a body, or $200 to $1,000 for cremated remains buried in a green setting, according to funerals.org.

When a funeral home handles a green burial, the FCA notes that services often run around $2,000, though some providers charge $5,000 or more. Families can lower the total substantially by providing their own shroud or casket, since a green burial does not require the sealed hardwood or metal caskets that drive up conventional funeral bills.

Here is a typical range for the line items that make up a green burial cost:

• Green cemetery plot (interment right): $1,000 to $4,000
• Opening and closing (interment) fee: roughly $300 to $500 in rural areas, higher in urban cemeteries
• Biodegradable casket or shroud: a simple cloth shroud is the lowest-cost container, and a plain untreated wooden or wicker casket costs far less than a conventional sealed casket; the FTC Funeral Rule lets you supply your own container with no added handling fee
• Transport of the body: varies by distance and provider
• Natural grave marker: many green cemeteries use a flat native stone or GPS coordinates instead of an upright headstone, which avoids the roughly $1,000 cost of a traditional engraved marker

For comparison, the FCA puts a conventional burial vault at $700 to $1,500 and a standard grave marker with engraving and installation at around $1,000, both of which a green burial can eliminate.

What is included in the cost of a green burial?

The cost of a green burial covers the right to be buried in a green or natural cemetery, the labor to open and close the grave, and a biodegradable container, plus any funeral home services a family chooses to add. It does not include embalming, a burial vault, or an ornate casket, which is where most of the savings come from.

The plot itself is the same idea as any cemetery plot: you are buying the interment right to a specific space, not the land. Green cemetery plot prices vary widely by region, the same way conventional plots do. The FCA reports that grave spaces can cost as little as about $500 at a rural nonprofit cemetery and $5,000 to $10,000 at an urban for-profit cemetery. If you want to understand how plot pricing works in general, our guide to how much a burial plot costs breaks down the full range.

The opening and closing fee pays for the physical work of digging and refilling the grave. In a green cemetery this is sometimes done by hand rather than machine, which can affect the price. A biodegradable casket or shroud is the container, and because the FTC Funeral Rule requires a funeral home to accept a casket you buy elsewhere without charging an extra handling fee, families can source a simple shroud or build a plain wooden box to keep this line item low.

How does green burial cost compare to a traditional burial?

Green burial usually costs less than traditional burial, and often by several thousand dollars. The NFDA's 2023 General Price List study put the median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial at $8,300, rising to $9,995 once a vault is added. A green burial that runs $2,000 to $5,000 can therefore save a family roughly $3,000 to $8,000, largely by removing embalming, a sealed casket, and the vault.

The comparison is not automatic, though. The Green Burial Council is careful to note that green burial expenses "can be less, the same, or more than conventional options, depending on the merchandise and services chosen." A conservation burial plot that funds permanent land protection, for example, can be priced closer to a conventional plot. The savings come from what green burial leaves out, so the more a family adds back in, the smaller the gap.

It is also worth knowing how burial compares to cremation on price. The NFDA reported the median cost of a funeral with viewing and cremation at $6,280 in 2023, lower than burial but higher than a simple green burial in many cases. If you are weighing cremation, our overview of the cremation process and our state guides to cremation costs in California and cremation costs in Florida show how those numbers shift by region.

What are the different types of green cemeteries?

Green cemeteries fall into three categories defined by the Green Burial Council, and the type you choose affects both the cost and the level of land protection.

A hybrid cemetery is a conventional cemetery that offers green burial, either throughout the grounds or in a designated natural section. Hybrid cemeteries allow biodegradable containers and skip the vault requirement, and they are often the most affordable and widely available green option.

A natural burial ground is a cemetery given over entirely to sustainable practices. It prohibits toxic embalming chemicals, vaults, and non-biodegradable caskets, and it uses native stone markers or GPS coordinates rather than upright headstones.

A conservation burial ground is a natural cemetery run in partnership with a conservation organization, where burial fees help fund the permanent protection of the land through a conservation easement or deed restriction. Conservation burial cost can be higher than a basic hybrid plot because part of what you pay preserves habitat in perpetuity. There are more than 90 green cemeteries operating in the United States today, the first of which opened in 1998, according to the Funeral Consumers Alliance.

What is Green Burial Council certification?

Green Burial Council certification is a third-party verification that a cemetery, funeral home, or product actually meets published green burial standards rather than simply advertising itself as eco-friendly. According to the Green Burial Council, certification requires transparency, accountability, and third-party oversight, and it is designed to prevent future owners from reversing the ecological promises a cemetery has made.

For families, certification matters because "green" is not a regulated marketing term. A certified green cemetery has committed in a verifiable way to no vaults, no toxic chemicals, and land management practices that support natural decomposition. The Green Burial Council maintains public maps of certified cemeteries and providers across the United States and Canada.

Can a green burial be combined with cremation or other choices?

Many families do not choose a single path. Some blend traditions, choosing burial for one family member and cremation for another, or planning a green burial now and a memorial gathering later. Green cemeteries reflect this: as noted above, many offer green plots for cremated remains at $200 to $1,000, a fraction of the cost of a full-body plot.

For families who have cremated remains, whether from a person or a pet, there are several meaningful options for what comes next. Some keep the remains at home, some scatter them in a meaningful place, some divide them among family, and some choose cremation jewelry. Our guide to what to do with cremated remains walks through the range.

Solidified remains are one more option in that range. Through a patented process Parting Stone pioneered, virtually all of a person's cremated remains are gently transformed into 40 to 80+ smooth, holdable stones. A family can hold them, carry one in a pocket, display them at home, share them among relatives, or place or scatter them at a green cemetery or another meaningful spot. For an adult, solidification through Parting Stone is $2,495 for families ordering directly, and the process takes 8 to 10 weeks. It is one option among several, offered here only so you know it exists.

Frequently asked questions about green burial cost

Is green burial cheaper than traditional burial?

Green burial is usually cheaper than traditional burial, often by several thousand dollars. A green burial commonly costs about $2,000 to $5,000, while the NFDA reported a median traditional burial cost of $8,300 in 2023, or $9,995 with a vault. The savings come from skipping embalming, a sealed casket, and a concrete vault.

Do you need a casket for a green burial?

No, a rigid casket is not required for a green burial. A body can be buried in a simple biodegradable shroud or an untreated wooden casket. The container only needs to be nontoxic and made of biodegradable material, according to the Green Burial Council.

Is embalming required for a green burial?

No, embalming is not required for a green burial, and the FTC Funeral Rule notes that no state law requires routine embalming for every death. Refrigeration is a common alternative that green burials rely on.

How much does a conservation burial cost?

Conservation burial cost varies by cemetery and can be higher than a basic hybrid plot, because a portion of the fee funds permanent protection of the land. Green cemetery plots generally range from about $1,000 to $4,000 for a body, per the Funeral Consumers Alliance.

How much does it cost to bury cremated remains in a green cemetery?

Burying cremated remains in a green cemetery typically costs $200 to $1,000 for the plot and interment, according to the Funeral Consumers Alliance, which is far less than a full-body green plot.

How do I find a certified green cemetery?

The Green Burial Council maintains public maps of certified green cemeteries and funeral homes across the United States and Canada. Certification confirms the provider meets verifiable green burial standards rather than only advertising itself as eco-friendly.

Planning without pressure

Comparing costs is one of the first practical steps after a loss, and it is a lot to carry while you are grieving. If it helps to see the wider sequence of decisions, our after-death checklist lays out what tends to come next, and our guide to planning a celebration of life covers the gathering that often follows.

Whatever you decide, there is no rush. When you're ready, and in your own time, you can choose the path that fits your family and your loved one.