Cost of Cremation Urns

How much do cremation urns cost? There is no one answer to that question, as there are many different options of cremation urns to choose from. Customers often consider many different factors when deciding on which cremation urn, including the look of the urn and where it will be placed. Among factors that impact the cost of the urn are the size, the materials it is made out of, the purpose of the urn, and its style.

Materials

With wooden cremation urns to metal cremation urns and everything in between, there is a wide range of materials available for urns to be made from. There is no one right answer or one solution, as each material comes with particular aesthetic qualities as well as durability considerations.

Common materials include metal or brass cremation urns, along with wood urns, and stone or marble urns. While there is a wide range of costs within these categories, choosing one particular type of material can help you narrow down your search. We also offer biodegradable urns, which are made of materials such as paper, salt, sand, plant-based materials, and more. If the ashes are being scattered, our scattering urns are available, and are usually made with recycled paper or lightweight wood.

Sizes

When discussing the size of the urn, it’s important to understand that they are sized in cubic inches, which relates to the amount of cremated remains that an urn can hold. A simple, effective method to estimate the amount of cremated ashes is: 1 pound body weight = 1 cubic inch of cremains.

While the size does impact the cost of the memorial cremation urns, it is not as large of a factor as the material of the urn. Still, it is important to understand what size urn is needed. In general, the sizes of cremation urns for ashes are:

- Extra small urns: 0-25 cubic inches of cremains
- Small urns: 26-50 cubic inches of cremains
- Medium urns: 51-130 cubic inches of cremains
- Large urns: 135-400 cubic inches of cremains
- Companion urns: 400 cubic inches of cremains and above

Before ordering an urn, be sure to check that the capacity meets what you need so you do not end up with an urn that is too small to be used.

Types/Purpose

Before deciding on an urn, it’s important to understand the purpose and role of the urn, which can help determine how much your cost will be. For example, if the ashes will all be kept in an urn which will be placed in a columbarium, it makes sense to search for a large, durable memorial cremation urn with an emphasis placed on the aesthetics. If the ashes were to be divided up among family members, a more suitable option might be smaller memorial urns or keepsakes such as cremation jewelry.

Considering the purpose of the urn will help to decide on a given material for the urn, which can help determine what your cost will be. Here are some of the common purposes or uses of urns, along with their commonly used materials.

- Burial Urns or Funeral Urns – These urns are often placed in cemeteries or in a large columbarium, or they may be used for green burials in either the earth or water. For earth burials, common urns are biodegradable urns or wooden cremation urns. If being placed in a columbarium, customers typically decide on marble, stone, or metal urns.

 - Display Urns – It is common for families to keep a memorial creation urn displayed at the house, in which case the design and aesthetic appeal need to be strongly considered. These may also be displayed during a memorial service. The most common types of urns, in this case are ceramic, wood, metal, marble, or stone. Among different styles are simple or more detailed, with shapes such as a traditional urn or other variations. Urns could include special engraving or meaningful images.

- Keepsake Cremation Urns – These are typically smaller and are ideal if a portion of the ashes will be kept in the home or split among family members. Common materials are wood, ceramic, glass, metal, stone, or marble, as many materials work well for this purpose.

- Scattering Urns – Many cremains are spread in beautiful or meaningful places, so an urn may be used only temporarily. These types of urns are usually lower in price because they are made to be lightweight in respect to the hiking, air travel, or other transportation that may be used to get the ashes to their final resting place.

- Cremation Jewelry – Another option is cremation jewelry, which holds a small amount of ashes in a pendant or bracelet, which is then worn to remember the memory of a loved one. These items are available in stainless steel, gold, titanium, or sterling silver.

Pet Urns

Similar to cremation urns for human ashes, pet urn costs will be impacted by the materials, purpose, and style. We have pet urns specially designed for cats, dogs, or with pet-friendly designs such as paw prints.

One important thing to keep in mind is that pet urns are sized differently than human urns, so it’s important to check the capacity to make sure you are getting a large enough size.

Shipping and Engraving

Choosing a memorial urn is a deeply personal decision, with no right or wrong answer. Because of the variety of situations and uses of urns, they can be found to match any budget. In addition to the urn, there are a few others costs to consider when purchasing an urn.

There are many ways to engrave or personalize your urn to make it exactly how you would like. We offer three different engraving options to meet your needs. These including direct engraving on the urn itself, as well as text engraved on a gold medallion or silver medallion which can then be applied by string around the urn.

We can ship anywhere in the United States, with most orders shipped via ground delivery within 3-5 days after the order is placed. If you need your product sooner than that, please consult our shipping page or contact us for applicable rates.

While cost is a factor in choosing an urn, it is just one of many considerations that you must weigh. Please browse our offering or contact us to let us know how we can help you.