There are many reasons why people choose a cremation over a burial or vice versa, but one it comes to cost, the clear choice is a cremation. This article will outline why cremations are cheaper and specifically how the cost of a burial and a cremation stack up against one another.

Cost of Burial 

First, it's important to know how much a burial costs and why it costs more. According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), the median cost of a funeral in the United States was $7,045 in 2012, which includes a service, casket, showing, and preparation of the body. If you want a vault, you will add about a $1,000 extra to your total cost.

There are ways to bring this price down by purchasing a cheaper casket or foregoing a memorial package, but it still represents a serious amount of money for many Americans. Unfortunately, even when a loved one passes, financial issues are often still important. That's why many people opt for a cremation instead, and others even decide on a cremation when they pre-plan their funeral in advance for this very reason.

Cost of Cremation

According to the Cremation Association of North America, the average cost of a cremation is about $1,600, offering significant savings over most burials. If you decide against a memorial service, it's possible to bring your costs down under a $1,000 if you find the right cremation provider.

Cremation involves burning a body down to ash at high temperatures over the course of several hours. Some people choose to spend money on an elaborate urn to hold the ashes, but others want to save money with a simple urn or by spreading the ashes. No matter what, you'll have to purchase a casket or container for the body before it's cremated, which will usually cost about $100, but can sometimes cost more.

Cremation is also a growing trend, with only approximately 3.5 percent of the population opting for a cremation in 1960 and approximately 42 percent choosing a cremation in 2011, according to the NFDA.  This growth is partly fueled by the cost effective options cremation provides, but many people also choose it because of environmental and spiritual reasons.

While many still choose burial for traditional reasons or because they want to see the body to bring about some measure of closure, cremation is an alternative you should explore with a cremator, such as Ocean County Cremation Service, if you're concerned about the financial burden a funeral presents.