How much does a headstone cost? 2026 price guide

The short answer

In 2025–2026, published US prices put a flat granite marker at roughly $600–$1,000, a single upright headstone at roughly $1,600–$3,000, and a companion upright for two people at roughly $2,500–$5,000. Then budget for the cemetery’s foundation or setting fee, which is often a few hundred dollars and over $1,000 at some cemeteries.

These ranges come from published price lists of US monument dealers and retailers, plus 2026 cemetery fee schedules (sources under each chart). They’re a guide to what to expect, not a quote.

Standard sizes for reference: the VA’s flat granite marker is 24″×12″×4″ (about 130 lb), and its upright headstone is 42″×13″×4″ (about 230 lb) (VA). Private stones come in many more sizes, and price rises with size and weight.

Costs on top of the stone

Ask the cemetery first. It sets the foundation and setting fees, often has rules on size and material, and some charge an inspection fee for stones bought elsewhere. Lettering is included in many dealers’ prices; others charge per character. If the headstone is for a couple, see what it costs to add the second date later.

What moves the price

• Granite color

  Raises cost

  Black granite costs about 40–50% more than gray (Memorials.com). One dealer’s same slant model: $1,384 gray, $2,359 jet black.

• Size and weight

  Raises cost

  More stone and a bigger base cost more to quarry, cut, ship and set.

• Material

  Varies

  Gray granite is usually least expensive; bronze, marble and colored granites cost more.

• Design and artwork

  Raises cost

  Laser-etched portraits, custom shapes and extra lettering add cost.

• Cemetery fees

  Raises cost

  Foundation, setting and inspection fees are set by the cemetery and vary widely.

• Where you buy

  Varies

  Prices differ between local dealers, online sellers and cemeteries; compare written quotes.

How long it takes

Free headstones for veterans

The VA “furnishes upon request, at no charge to the applicant, a Government headstone or marker” for eligible veterans, including in private cemeteries (VA). The stone is free, but “arrangements for placing it in a private cemetery are the applicant’s responsibility and all setting fees are at private expense.” For veterans whose grave already has a private headstone, the VA can provide a medallion instead (VA.gov). See also our military headstone inscription examples.

Buying from an outside dealer

You can usually buy a headstone from any monument dealer, but the rules are less settled than many websites claim. The FTC’s Funeral Rule “does not apply to third-party sellers, such as casket and monument dealers, or to cemeteries that lack an on-site funeral home” (FTC). So no federal rule stops a cemetery from charging a fee for a stone bought elsewhere. The Funeral Consumers Alliance reports that some cemeteries impose “inspection fees” on outside markers. Some states do limit this: Florida, for example, bars cemeteries from charging an installation fee for a monument bought and installed by an outside company (Fla. Stat. §497.278). Ask the cemetery for its fees and rules in writing before you order.

Ways to keep the cost down

• Get two or three written quotes that list the stone, lettering, delivery and setting separately.
• Ask the cemetery for its fees first: foundation, setting, permits and inspection.
• Consider gray granite and a flat or bevel marker, which are usually the least expensive options.
• For couples, a companion stone costs less than two separate stones; the second date is added later for a few hundred dollars.
• Check veterans’ benefits before buying a stone for an eligible veteran.

Choosing the wording? See what to write on a headstone and headstone lettering styles. Monument shops: see how Monumize helps with added dates.