One of the first questions often asked is, “How does the cost of a Memorial Tree in a Better Place Forest compare to traditional cemetery options?”

A beautiful walk on one of our pathways in Mendocino.

And that’s a great question! While a full breakdown can be found on our tree pricing page, a very brief overview of the pricing is available below.

On a per person basis, Better Place Forests is less expensive than options offered by traditional cemeteries.

When dealing with the costs of planning for your entire family, Better Place Forests is about 20% – 60% less than the cost of traditional cemeteries.

Costs For A Single Person

‍Better Place Forests

• Memorial Tree: $4,900 – $9,900+
• Forest Memorials: $100-$1,500
• Memorial Marker: $500

Total: $5,500-$11,900+

Traditional Cemetery Options

• Plot: $800 – $15,000+
• Headstone: $500-$10,000
• Funeral: $400-$2,500
• Casket: $900-$3,000+
• Vault (the casket goes inside, these are optional): $1,700
• Embalming: $850
• Hearse: $350

Total: $5,525 – $33,425+

Costs For A 6 Person Family

Better Place Forests

• Memorial Tree: $4,900 – $9,900+
• Spreading Rights for 5 additional people: $7,500
• Forest Memorials (x6): $600-$9,000
• Memorial Marker (x6): $500-$3,000

Total: $13,500-$21,000+

Traditional Cemetery Options

• Plot (x6): $800 – $15,000+
• Headstone (x6): $500-$10,000
• Funeral (x6): $400-$2,500
• Casket (x6): $900-$3,000+
• Vault (the casket goes inside, these are optional) (x6): $1,700
• Embalming (x6): $850
• Hearse (x6): $350

Total: $33,150 – $200,550+

Costs updated in 2024 based on Choice Mutal’s funeral cost calculator.

Why Family Pricing Is Such a Great Value

Because of the limitations of space in a cemetery, family spaces that can be reserved for 4+ people can get very expensive.

For example, at one of the popular cemeteries near San Francisco, a six person cremation plot with all of the popular additions (markers, etc.) will be at least $70,000.

A tree for a family in our Point Arena Forest, that includes spreading rights for 6 people (and it can include your pets!) is a considerably more affordable option.

In addition, at Better Place Forests tree owners have the ability to add additional spreading rights over time!

There are a variety tree types and sizes to fit anyones needs. Reserve time with an advisor to review options in detail.

Planning Ahead

The best advice is to do some research. Look up all the available options that you’re considering and price them out (and don’t forget to add up all the extras.)

For such an important decision, take the time to understand what best fits your needs.