Types of Urns and What They Cost

Types of Urns

It’s now well known that cremation is much more affordable than traditional burial, particularly if a family chooses direct cremation. One of the few expenses that come with cremation but not burial is the cost of an urn.

An urn is a receptacle where the remains are stored. The urn can be kept at a family member’s home, buried in the ground, put in a columbarium or even placed in the ocean. The selection of urns is limitless today, which means the price of an urn varies greatly. You can expect to pay at least $75 for an urn, but depending on the type of urn that’s selected the price could go much higher. 

Keepsake Urns

A keepsake urn is typically a small urn that only contains a portion of the remains – up to 35 cubic inches. Some keepsake urns are actually a primary urn with numerous smaller urns called tokens. Because of the smaller size, you can easily find keepsake urns for $20-60 a piece.

Biodegradable Urns

A biodegradable urn is designed for use in cremation burials. The urn is meant to disintegrate over time and essentially become part of the surrounding soil. Some biodegradable urns even have tree saplings or seeds in them that will grow into plants. 

Biodegradable urns can be as low as $35 or cost hundreds of dollars. The median price for a biodegradable urn is around $150. In general, biodegradable urns cost less than urns that are meant for storage or display.

Wooden Urns

Wooden urns can be very plain or extremely decorative. How ornate a wooden urn is will affect the price. Many people choose to at least include details like the person’s name to the urn that are branded or carved into the wood. 

A mid-range wooden urn will be around $150. The more detail there is the more expensive it will be. The type of wood used and size of the urn also affect the price. 

However, don’t mistake a wooden urn with a biodegradable urn. Just because an urn is made of wood that doesn’t mean it’s a biodegradable urn that can be used for green burials. If there’s any type of paint or finish it won’t be considered biodegradable. 

Metal Urns

Metal urns are appealing for their durability and price. You don’t have to worry about a metal urn breaking and scattering the ashes. You don’t even have to worry about chipping, fading or scratches. Even if it were to get damaged, you can find metal urns for between $50 and $300.

Stone Urns

An alternative to metal is stone. Urns can be made out of granite, marble or a similar stone. It provides better durability than a wooden urn although they do still run the risk of breaking. Stone urns tend to be expensive simply because the material costs more. It’s not uncommon for a stone urn to be $300-$500.

Ceramic Urns

When you want a decorative or hand painted urn ceramic is the best option. The one downside is a ceramic urn can be broken. Plan to pay around $100-$500 for a ceramic urn.

Companion Urns

Urns that are large enough to hold the remains of two or more people are called companion urns. As expected, companion urns tend to cost more on average because of their size. You can expect to pay $350 or more for a companion urn.


At Direct Cremate we help families save on the cost of cremation so they can spend more on things with sentimental value like the urn or a memorial service. Contact us online to begin making arrangements or to learn more about our direct cremation services. 

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