Having a death in the family is heart wrecking. This emotional distress can make it easy for you to disregard your budget and make bad financial decisions.
That is why you need to plan your finances, no matter how hard that may be.
We are here to help.
This article looks at the cost of funerals in Singapore among different religions and for burial and cremation. It also looks at miscellaneous fees that may be incurred.
By understanding the cost of a funeral, you can plan for it and make arrangements that fit your budget.
So how much does a funeral cost in Singapore?
Keep reading to find out.
If you want to assess how much a funeral costs in Singapore, you must consider the factors below:
The CCOD is a document attesting to the cause of death, but its price depends on the issuer and other additional services.
Place/procedure | Hospital | At Home |
---|---|---|
CCOD | $0 | $200-$250 |
Transport | $0 or included in most funeral packages Singapore | |
Autopsy report | $160.50 | |
Private autopsy | $5,863.60 | |
Daily storage cost | $165.85 | |
Total | $6,189.95- $6,439.95 |
Pro tip: If the death has occurred abroad, you will have to add another $5,000-$10,000 for transport fees consisting of:
Some people would like an obituary in the newspaper to commemorate the deceased person. In this case, you must include the cost of the following:
That said, the starting price for an obituary Singapore is $1,348.20.
Funerals in Singapore are preceded by wakes lasting up to seven days. Although the rule of thumb is holding a 3-day wake, different cultures proceed differently.
The place where you hold this wake also tips the price scale:
Of course, you cannot hold a wake without having first bought a casket:
You cannot have a wake and funeral without flowers. The bouquets below have different starting prices, but you must also consider their significance according to your culture and your loved one’s preferences.
Here is the average price of a funeral bouquet depending on the type of flowers you are purchasing:
The final price depends on how many decorations you would like. As a rule of thumb, consider at least three to five bouquets to start with.
Food catering is another important consideration, but this largely depends on the following:
If you do not want anything too fancy, food catering will cost from $15- $50 for each guest.
There are different types of funerals to consider:
Note: Tree burial is not yet legal in Singapore.
If you are trying to organise your funeral instead of a loved one’s, you must consider tying up your legal matters.
You will have to:
The cheapest type of funeral in Singapore is where you spend the least money on the associated costs.
For example, cremation and land burial are much cheaper than a mahogany casket and land burial. Some flowers are also more affordable than others.
But you cannot compromise on or choose some other items, such as transporting a loved one from abroad or eluding the required autopsy.
You also cannot choose your religious orientation.
That’s why you should consider this question: will you opt for a funeral home?
Religious orientation | Two Days | Three Days | Four Days | Five Days | Six Days | Seven Days |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Christian | S$4,519.16 | S$4,785.91 | S$5,294.70 | S$5,438.67 | S$5,505.33 | S$5,891.20 |
Roman Catholic | S$4,545.39 | S$4,736.29 | S$5,262.49 | S$5,396.00 | S$5,551.00 | S$5,819.00 |
Buddhist | S$5,632.00 | S$5,911.47 | S$6,399.40 | S$6,700.02 | S$7,014.86 | S$7,335.88 |
Soka | S$4,582.67 | S$4,963.20 | S$5,382.67 | S$5,603.20 | N/A | S$5,734.00 |
Taoist | S$8,214.36 | S$8,564.15 | S$9.376.03 | S$9,690.74 | S$9,778.08 | N/A |
Freethinker/Non-religious | S$4,344.50 | S$4,719.44 | S$5,162.49 | S$5,533.28 | S$5,791.23 | S$6,124.99 |
By comparison, funeral services Singapore are much cheaper if you opt for a DIY funeral.
A Buddhist funeral package includes the following items:
Depending on your top-ups and the length of your wake, a Buddhist funeral in Singapore costs between $5,500 and $8,000.
Burial | Adults and children of and above 10 years | Children below 10 years |
---|---|---|
For Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents (PRs) | $315 | $140 |
Choa Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery | $315 | $140 |
Choa Chu Kang Ahmadiyya Jama'at Cemetery | $315 | $140 |
Choa Chu Kang Jewish Cemetery | $315 | $140 |
Choa Chu Kang Parsi Cemetery | $315 | $140 |
Choa Chu Kang Bahai Cemetery | $315 | $140 |
Other Government cemeteries than those mentioned above | $940 | $420 |
For foreigners (only if their immediate family members are citizens or PRs) | ||
Burial service | $1,880 | $940 |
The monies in a person’s CPF fund are distributed to the heirs they nominated.
If there are no nominees, the Public Trustee’s Office (PTO) can disburse the funds following the intestacy laws.
Either way, you can use that money to pay for a loved one’s funeral, but:
However, if your funeral is more expensive, consider a personal loan to eliminate the planning hassle.
Money Kinetics partners with the best licensed moneylenders in Singapore so you can get an accurate quote from the very best.
Apply here, and you will have your quote in minutes.