Funeral QuestionsHow Much Does It Cost to Publish an Obituary or Funeral Notice in Australia?
Last updated 5 July 2026 · 5 min read
Direct Answer
Newspaper funeral and death notices are typically priced per line or per word, and a short notice commonly costs somewhere in the range of $50 to $150 in a local paper, rising to several hundred dollars for a longer notice, a photo, or placement in a major metropolitan paper. Longer obituary-style tributes cost more again in print, since most papers charge by length: a few hundred to over a thousand dollars is common for a substantial printed obituary. Online publishing is far cheaper or free: funeral home websites, dedicated online notice pages, and online memorials typically have no per-word charge, which is why many families now run a short paid print notice alongside a longer, free online version. Prices vary by publication and change over time, so treat any figure here as typical, not quoted.
Detailed Explanation
Publishing costs are one of the more overlooked line items in the days after a death. Most families are focused on the service itself and are surprised that the notice or obituary carries its own separate cost, on top of everything the funeral director already quoted. See the Obituaries & Funeral Notices hub for the wider cluster this fits within, or how much does a funeral cost in Australia for how notice costs sit within the wider bill.
How newspaper pricing generally works
Most Australian newspapers price funeral and death notices the same way as classified advertising: by the line or by the word, with the total scaling directly with length. As a general guide:
- A short, standard notice (name, age, key relationships, service details, commonly 50 to 100 words) typically runs from roughly $50 to $150 in a local or regional paper.
- A longer notice or a brief obituary-style tribute in print commonly runs from a few hundred dollars up to $1,000 or more, depending on length and the publication.
- Photos usually carry an additional flat fee on top of the word-based charge, commonly an extra $20 to $100.
- Metropolitan and major daily papers are typically priced higher per line than local and regional papers, reflecting their larger readership.
- Weekend editions (often the highest-readership day) sometimes carry a premium over weekday rates.
These figures are typical, not quoted. As of 2026, check current rates directly with the specific newspaper or ask your funeral director, who places notices regularly and usually knows current pricing without needing to call around.
Online publishing is usually far cheaper
Three online options exist alongside (or instead of) print, and none of them charges by the word:
- Funeral home websites: most funeral directors publish the notice on their own website at no additional charge as part of their standard service.
- Dedicated online notice or tribute pages: independent of any specific newspaper, these are typically free or charge a small flat fee regardless of length, and can be shared directly by link via text or social media.
- An online memorial: goes further than a notice, giving the family a lasting page for photos, stories, and ongoing messages from visitors, rather than a one-off announcement.
Because online space isn't rationed the way print is, many families now run a short, paid print notice to reach people who read the paper, and a longer, free online version, often the full obituary, for everyone else. This combination keeps the paid portion brief (and cheap) while still giving the fuller story somewhere to live.
What actually drives the total cost
- Length is the single biggest factor in print. See how to write a funeral notice for how to write a notice that says everything it needs to without paying for words it doesn't.
- Number of publications. Running the same notice in two papers (a hometown paper and a current city, for example) roughly doubles the cost.
- Photo inclusion.
- Placement and prominence: a larger, boxed, or front-of-section placement costs more than a standard classified-style listing.
Who pays, and when
Like other funeral costs, notice and obituary publishing fees are typically paid from the deceased person's estate or by the family arranging the funeral, often via the funeral director as part of the overall invoice. If cost is a genuine concern, ask the funeral director for an itemised quote for the notice separately from the rest of the funeral, and weigh a shorter paid notice against a longer free online version rather than assuming a lengthy print notice is necessary.
Things to Consider
- A shorter paid notice plus a longer free online piece is the common cost-saving approach. See obituary vs death notice vs eulogy for how the two genuinely differ in purpose, not just length.
- Ask for the price before submitting the wording, not after. Most publications will quote a total once they know the word count and whether a photo is included.
- Check whether the funeral director's quote already includes the notice, or bills it separately. This varies by funeral home and is worth clarifying up front.
- If cost is a real constraint, an online-only notice is a completely acceptable choice. There's no obligation to pay for a print placement at all.
Common Mistakes
- Not asking for a price before submitting. Costs can surprise families who assumed a notice would be a small, fixed fee regardless of length.
- Writing the full life story into a print notice. This is the most common way a notice becomes unexpectedly expensive. See how to write a funeral notice for keeping it brief, and move the fuller story to a free or low-cost online obituary instead.
- Assuming online publishing is lower quality or less respectful than print. It isn't. It's simply a different medium, and increasingly the one more people actually see and share.
- Forgetting to budget for a photo fee separately from the word count.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why do newspapers charge by length?
- Print space is physically limited and sold at a per-line or per-word rate, the same way classified advertising is priced. A longer notice occupies more of that space regardless of its emotional content. This is the main reason funeral notices stay brief while a fuller obituary is often moved online, where there's no equivalent constraint.
- Is it worth paying for a metropolitan newspaper notice as well as a local one?
- It depends on the person's community. A metropolitan notice reaches a wider readership and costs more; a local paper reaches the community the person actually lived in, often at a lower rate. Many families run both when the person had ties to more than one place, a hometown paper and the city they later lived in, for example, but it's an added cost, not a requirement.
- Are there free ways to publish an obituary or notice?
- Yes. Funeral home websites almost always publish a notice at no charge as part of their service, and dedicated online obituary or memorial pages are typically free or very low-cost, with no word-count penalty. The trade-off is reach: a free online notice depends on people knowing to look for it or being sent the link, whereas a newspaper notice is seen by anyone who reads that day's paper.
- Does the funeral director arrange payment for the notice?
- Often, yes. Many funeral directors place the notice with the newspaper on the family's behalf and include the cost as a line item on the overall funeral invoice, rather than the family paying the publication directly. Ask your funeral director whether this is how they handle it, since it affects who to contact if the wording needs a late correction.
References
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