More Aussies look to crowdfunding as cost of funerals rise

Australians are increasingly turning to crowdfunding to help cover funeral expenses, as the cost of farewelling loved ones continues to climb.

The median cost of a funeral has risen to about $14,000, with expenses including burial plots, caskets, funeral director fees and flowers leaving many families struggling to cope financially.

Fundraising platform GoFundMe says Australians raised more than $28 million to help pay for funerals in 2025, with the number of funeral fundraisers increasing by 70 per cent over the past five years.

For the family of Jye Campbell, who died suddenly in late 2025, funeral costs quickly reached about $20,000.

While less expensive options were available, including cremation, the family wanted to honour his wishes and bury him alongside other relatives in their hometown of Albury in regional NSW.

“My sister didn’t want to cremate her son; she wanted him buried where everyone else would be buried,” Jye’s aunt, Emma Campbell, told AAP.

“There’s just things that you can’t really not do.”

She said the service was relatively simple, but the burial plot alone cost about $9000.

The family raised almost $10,000 through community support to help meet the expenses and said they would have faced difficult decisions about the funeral arrangements if it wasn’t for the crowdfund.

With Australia’s funeral industry estimated to be worth around $2 billion annually, more families are finding themselves in similar circumstances.

A basic single-service cremation through premium provider White Lady Funerals costs almost $9000, while a burial and extras such as a headstone and flowers can add thousands more.

Budget provider Bare charges more than $3000 for an unattended cremation without a funeral service.

End-of-life consultant Annetta Mallon said funerals can play an important role in the grieving process, but families should not be left under financial strain.

“It makes me really angry, not that people are crowdfunding, but that funeral expenses are so high that people are forced to crowdfund,” Mallon said.

She said planning ahead was one of the best ways to reduce costs and ease the burden on loved ones.

Mallon recommended discussing and documenting funeral wishes in advance, so family members are not left making difficult decisions while grieving.

“If you are very clear with your wishes, that means people who are grieving can stick to them,” she said.

“It is the greatest gift you can give the people you love and care about.”

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