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What does a headstone really cost?

Funeral homes and monument dealers mark up caskets and headstones 300 to 500 percent. RestingDove reports the real price, what drives it, and how to buy without overpaying, at a time when you shouldn't have to think about any of this.

See headstone costs Know your rights

300–500% typical markup on a casket or headstone sold through a funeral home or monument dealer, compared with buying the same product direct. See how we reach this figure in our markup guide.

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Start with what you're buying

Pick a product for real prices, what drives the cost, and where to buy without paying the funeral-home markup.

  1. A groundskeeper trims the grass along a row of flat granite markers in a well-kept cemetery Headstones What granite, bronze, and marble actually cost, and how much of the price is markup. See costs
  2. A craftsman in safety glasses and ear protection feeds a wood plank through an industrial planer in a bright woodshop Caskets Funeral-home caskets vs. buying direct, the same box, a very different bill. See costs
  3. Rows of unglazed terracotta urn-shaped vessels with fitted lids on a wooden shelf Urns Cremation urn prices by material, and when a simple one is the right call. See costs
  4. A small American flag on a stand beside headstones in a tree-shaded cemetery Grave Markers Flat markers vs. upright headstones, and what cemeteries actually require. See costs
  5. A silver pendant necklace with a small clear gemstone, hanging against a carved white frame Cremation Jewelry Keepsake pieces that hold a small amount of ashes, from simple to custom. See costs
  6. A close-up of a gavel and scales of justice on a wooden table beside legal books Guides Your rights as a buyer, how markups work, and how to buy well. See costs
Rows of small white upright markers in a well-kept national cemetery lawn

A funeral home has to accept a casket or urn you bought elsewhere. No handling fee. No refusal. Most families are never told this.

The FTC Funeral Rule, 16 CFR Part 453, cemeteries and monument dealers set their own rules for outside headstones.
Read your rights, by product How the markups work

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