How much does an obituary cost?
Short answer
A newspaper obituary is priced by the line or column inch, so the cost depends on the paper and the length. As one example, the Tampa Bay Times starts at $80 for five lines, then charges $12 a line and $50 per photo per day. A 20-line notice with one photo comes to at least $340 there. Online obituaries on the funeral home's website are often included in its packages, and posting on social media is free.
An obituary is one of the small costs that surprises families, partly because it isn’t in the funeral home’s advertised price. The NFDA’s national median funeral cost specifically leaves out cash-advance charges such as flowers or an obituary. The funeral home may place the notice for you, but the newspaper’s charge is passed through to your bill.
How newspapers price obituaries
Most papers charge by the line (or by the column inch), plus extra for photos, additional days in print, and sometimes an online guest book. Longer notices, more photos and more days in the paper all raise the price.
Here’s one real rate card, from the Tampa Bay Times (2026):
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Base obituary: 5 lines, one print day, one e-edition day, a Legacy.com posting, and one week on Facebook | $80 |
| Each line after the first five | $12 |
| Photo | $50 per photo, per day (and it takes up about 3 lines of space) |
| Online guest book | $30, added automatically to paid obituaries of 6 lines or more |
Worked example: a 20-line obituary with one photo, run for one day, is $80 + (15 extra lines × $12) + $50 for the photo + $30 for the guest book, or at least $340. A longer life story with several photos, or a run on more than one day, can easily cost several times that. Rates differ widely from paper to paper, so ask for a quote before you submit.
Obituary vs. death notice
People use the words interchangeably, but newspapers often distinguish them:
- A death notice is a short paid announcement: name, age, date of death and service details.
- An obituary is a longer life story, with family members, career, faith and memories.
Since you pay by the line, many families run a short notice in print and post the full story online.
Free and low-cost options
- The funeral home’s website. Many funeral homes include an online obituary or tribute page in their packages. One Michigan cremation provider, for example, lists an “Online Tribute” in each of its service packages. Ask whether yours is included.
- Social media and messaging groups. Free, fast, and often where family and friends hear the news first.
- Your place of worship. Church, mosque and community newsletters often share death and service announcements.
- Community papers. A local weekly may charge less than a metro daily, so it’s worth comparing.
Tips to keep the cost down
- Get the price before you submit. Ask the funeral home or the paper for an exact quote based on your draft.
- Write tight. Every line costs money. Save the long version for the online obituary.
- Use one photo, one day. Extra photos and days multiply the cost.
- Check what’s bundled. Some papers include an online posting or guest book; others charge for it.
Planning for it
An obituary costs far less than a casket or a cemetery plot, but it’s one more bill that lands in the same week as everything else. A final expense policy pays your beneficiary in cash for all of these costs, big and small. Add it to your number with the final expense calculator.
Sources: Tampa Bay Times — submit an obituary (2026 rates); NFDA — 2023 General Price List Study (median excludes cash-advance charges such as an obituary); Funeral Consumers Alliance of Greater Rochester — funeral pricing (basic services include placing a newspaper notice, not its cost); Cremation Society of Michigan — General Price List, July 20, 2026 (online tribute in service packages).
Updated October 11, 2026. General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. United Eagles Financial is an independent life insurance agency, not an insurance carrier; coverage depends on carrier underwriting and state availability.