How Much Do Cremation or Burial Services Cost in Singapore?

I have a love-hate relationship with talking about death.

On one hand, it feels excruciatingly painful to imagine a life without any of my loved ones.

On the other hand, it reminds me of how we are all inevitably on the same path, regardless of our status and wealth.

Over the years, I’ve realised the importance of starting the conversation of end-of-life planning, especially when matters like death can come by in the most unexpected ways.

By having such conversations, we would be able to state our preferences and make arrangements according to our loved ones’ wishes.

We’ve previously looked at the most important things to note for funeral matters.

Beyond funeral arrangements, planning is crucial for after-funeral matters as well.

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A Guide to After-Funeral Service Arrangements in Singapore

Depending on your beliefs, you may wish to indicate how you want your remains to be handled.

In Singapore, the options available are burial and cremation.

• Opting for Burial in Singapore
• Opting for Cremation in Singapore
• Ash Management after Cremation in Singapore
  • Stored in a columbarium
  • Scattered at sea via a sea burial
  • Inland Ash Scattering (IAS)
  • Stored at home

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Opting for Burial in Singapore

For land burials in Singapore, the Crypt Burial System (CBS) is used as an improved version of the traditional soil burial system.

This means that coffins are now lowered into concrete crypts laid out in grids instead of soil.

Soil will then be placed on top of the coffin, before a concrete lid is placed on top to seal the crypt.

This method eliminates the possibility of the mix-up of bodies.

Location of Burials in Singapore

The Choa Chu Kang (CCK) Cemetery Complex is the only cemetery in Singapore open for burials.

Burial Period

The burial period for all graves is limited to 15 years.

The graves will be exhumed after 15 years.

For religions where burial is mandated (Ahmadi, Baha’i, Jewish, Muslim, and Parsi), the exhumed remains will be re-buried in smaller individual plots.

Otherwise, the exhumed remains will be cremated and stored in columbaria niches.

How Much Does Burial Cost in Singapore?

*Burial in Singapore is only allowed for foreigners if the deceased person has immediate family members who are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents.

How To Arrange for a Burial in Singapore

There are two ways you can book a burial slot:

• In-person at the booking office
• Online using the NEA e-service

The details of the booking office are as follows:

Choa Chu Kang Cemetery Booking Office

Address: 910 Choa Chu Kang Road Singapore 699819

Contact No.: 6793 7428

Fax: 6793 7400

Booking hours: Mondays to Sundays 8:30am – 4:30pm, closed for lunch from 1:00pm – 2:00pm

Payment has to be made at the booking office before the burial.

The accepted payment modes are:

• NETS
• Cash Card
• Credit Card

Do note that no burial plot reservations are allowed, and the burial plot is allocated strictly by sequential order and decided on the day of the intended burial.

Documents Required Before the Burial

These documents are required for verification before the burial:

• Death Certificate (original)
• Permit to Bury (original)
• Identification Papers of Next-of-kin and Applicant (e.g. NRIC, passport, etc.)
• Letter of Authorisation (if the applicant is not a next-of-kin)

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Opting for Cremation in Singapore

Most individuals in Singapore opt for cremation for after-death arrangements.

Other than Singapore’s limited land space, opting for cremation provides a wider range of options on the storage of your loved one’s remains.

Cremation Process in Singapore

If you’re wondering what happens during cremation, the body is placed into the cremation chamber and would be subjected to high temperatures.

The process would take about 2 hours, and all organic matter will be reduced to fragments.

After which, a cremulator would be used to ground the remains to a finer consistency before it’s presented to the family.

Locations for Cremation in Singapore

There are 3 crematoria in Singapore that are available for bookings, one public, and two private ones.

How Much Does Cremation Cost in Singapore?

Cremation prices vary according to the location it is cremated, and the private crematoriums would cost higher than the government-owned Mandai crematorium.

Here’s a quick rundown of the cremation costs:

*The costs would also depend on the type of urn and storage location that is chosen after cremation.

Do note that most funeral packages do include the cremation fee as well, so do check on this before proceeding.

How To Arrange for Cremation in Singapore

The funeral director usually can help with the arrangement of cremation.

For the Mandai crematorium, there are two ways to book a cremation slot:

• In-person at the Mandai Crematorium
• Online using the NEA e-service

For the private crematoriums, do check with the funeral director or contact the crematoriums directly.

Documents Required before Cremation Service

These documents are required for verification before the actual cremation service:

• the deceased’s original death certificate, which contains the permit to bury/cremate
• the deceased’s NRIC or passport
• the applicant’s NRIC or passport
• Letter of Authorisation (if the applicant is not a next-of-kin)

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Ash Management & Storage Options in Singapore

Over the years, there has been an increase in options in the way we can choose how our ashes are managed.

Here are the options that are currently available in Singapore:

• Stored in a columbarium
• Stored at home
• Scattered at sea via a sea burial
• Inland Ash Scattering (IAS)
• Incorporated into specially designed products (e.g. keepsake jewellery)

Columbarium Options Available in Singapore

You can choose to keep your loved one’s cremated ashes in an urn and place it in a niche at either a government-managed or private columbarium.

An urn can typically cost from $70 onwards or can even cost up to $888 depending on its size and craftsmanship.

There are two government columbaria, the Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium Complex and Choa Chu Kang Columbarium.

There are also various options for private columbaria, where individuals can pick according to their faiths and preferences.

Sea Burial in Singapore

Sea burial has been gaining popularity as an option for individuals to choose as a final resting place.

Other than it being an economical option, the idea of freedom and returning to nature is also appealing to many.

Besides that, this reduces the need for future generations to pay respects at a specific location as well.

Sea burial can occur in two ways – the traditional scattering method as well as a biodegradable urn.

Both methods do not contribute to the pollution of the seas and can be considered an eco-friendly method.

A sea burial would typically take less than 1.5 hours, and is done on a private chartered boat.

According to Straits Times, sea burials would cost from $80 to more than $1,000, depending on the religious rites.

Where Can I Arrange for a Sea Burial?

You can choose to scatter the ashes at sea within an approved site 2.8 km south of Pulau Semakau, between 7am to 7pm daily.

Your funeral director can help to arrange for boat rental and provide suitable urns for ash scattering at sea.

For more details, contact the Port Marine Safety Control Centre at 6325 2488.

Sea Burial Packages in Singapore

Here are some funeral companies that offer sea burials as part of their packages.

Inland Ash Scattering (IAS) in Singapore

With the growing awareness of environmental issues, there has recently been a spike in interest in green burials.

There is now a new option for individuals to choose from as their final resting place.

The Garden of Peace at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery Complex was recently opened and is Singapore’s first inland ash-scattering facility.

It adopts a serene and peaceful garden setting, providing a dignified environment while allowing a level of privacy for families through thoughtful facility design.

Procedures for Conducting Ash Scattering

1. Apply the session online via NEA ePortal

2. Have these documents ready for application

• Death Certificate (original) – where applicable
• Identification papers of next-of-kin
• Letter of Authorisation (if applicant is not a next-of-kin)
• Other supporting documents

3. A confirmation slip will be issued for a successful application upon payment. Bring the confirmation slip and cremated remains to the Ash Collection Centre where NEA’s staff will assist to pulverise the fine ashes into powder form.

4. Fine ashes will be placed in a one-time use canister. You may also bring your own canister if you wish to.

5. If required, you may proceed to the prayer facility located outside the garden to conduct religious rites.

6. Proceed to the scattering lane and scatter the fine ashes onto the pebbles. You may also use a watering can to water the remaining ashes on the pebbles onto the soil below.

Cost of Ash Scattering in Singapore

The booking fee costs $320, inclusive of GST.

Location and Opening Hours of Garden of Peace

There are 2 entrances to the Garden of Peace.

• The North Gate is located along Old Choa Chu Kang Road, next to bus stop no. 31139.
• The South Gate is located along Cemetery South Street 18, at the junction of Cemetery South Street 18 and Muslim Cemetery Path 11.

It is open from 9:00am to 5:00pm daily, except on days where maintenance is being carried out.

Specially Designed Products

Some people would like to keep their loved ones a little bit closer.

For that, there are keepsake jewellery options available, where a portion of the loved one’s ashes will be infused into a jewellery piece or a memorial diamond.

Here are some providers that offer such a service:

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