How Much Does a Funeral Cost?

This is one of the most common questions we’re asked — and understandably so. Unfortunately there’s no single answer, because the cost of a funeral depends on the choices you make.

A funeral invoice is generally made up of three parts:

1. Professional Service Fee
2. Goods Supplied
3. Disbursements (Third-Party Costs)

1. Professional Service Fee

This fee covers the essential work and operating costs involved in arranging and carrying out a funeral. It includes things like:

• Organising bookings and paperwork with cemeteries and crematoria
• Coordinating with suppliers and service providers
• Overheads such as rent, electricity, and staff training

At Wellington City Funerals we calculate this fee based on the level of service you choose. A smaller, simpler service will carry a lower fee than a more complex one with multiple bookings and suppliers to manage. We believe this approach is fairer than charging a flat fee — with us, you only pay for the services you use.

2. Goods Supplied

This part of the invoice is made up of the cost of goods provided directly by us, such as a casket, urn, or service sheets that we print in-house.

3. Disbursements (Third-Party Costs)

These are charges from external suppliers such as newspapers, the celebrant, venue, florist, or caterers. We only charge you what the supplier charges us, with one exception: catering. Because catering costs frequently vary slightly from the initial estimate (for example, if extra food, milk or clean-up time is needed), we add a 5% margin to cover those possible variations.

Transparency and Estimates

When we meet with you to make arrangements, we’ll provide an estimate based on your choices. While some costs (like newspaper notices or a specialty casket) can’t be confirmed until the next day or so, we’ll always do our best to give you an accurate picture of the expected costs. And if any significant changes arise during the process, we’ll contact you to discuss them before proceeding.

We’re confident that we provide excellent service at a fair and transparent price. If you ever have questions about your invoice, we’re more than happy to talk it through with you.