The casket is often the single most expensive item in a funeral — and the one with the largest markup. It’s also where informed families save the most, thanks to a federal rule most people have never heard of.
Your key right: Under the FTC Funeral Rule, a funeral home must accept a casket you bought elsewhere and cannot charge a handling fee or require you to be present for delivery.
Where to buy a casket for less
- Warehouse clubs — Costco and similar retailers sell caskets online.
- Online casket retailers — many ship overnight directly to the funeral home.
- Independent casket stores — storefront sellers near many cities.
Typical price comparison
| Mid-range casket at a funeral home | $3,000–$4,500 |
| Same casket from a third-party seller | $1,000–$1,800 |
| Cremation alternative container | $100–$300 |
| Typical savings | $1,500+ |
Caskets don’t preserve remains regardless of price — the FTC prohibits claims that any casket preserves a body indefinitely. Skip “protective” or “sealer” upgrades that don’t do what the name implies.
