By The Big Buy desk · Last verified 28 September 2026
A funeral in Singapore usually costs a few thousand dollars. In a survey by the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS), covering 2018 to 2020, most people paid between S$5,000 and S$8,999. Most of that goes to the funeral director’s package: the casket, preparation, hearse and venue. The government’s own fees are much smaller. Cremation at the government crematorium costs S$100 for an adult, and a standard niche at Choa Chu Kang Columbarium costs S$500.
Quick facts
- Most people paid S$5,000 to S$8,999 in the CCCS survey.
- Government cremation: S$100 for an adult, S$50 for a child under 10.
- Standard government niche: S$500; family niche: S$900.
- Burial is only at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery, for 15 years.
- Burial fees for citizens and PRs: S$315 or S$940, depending on the cemetery section.
- Inland ash scattering: a S$320 booking fee.
What goes into a funeral package?
Most families use a funeral director, whose package typically covers some or all of these. The ranges are one guide’s estimates:
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Casket | S$800 to S$8,000 |
| Embalming and preparation | S$500 to S$1,000 |
| Hearse | S$400 to S$1,200 |
| Venue | About S$200 to S$300 for an HDB void deck permit; S$3,000 to S$10,000 for several days at a private funeral parlour |
Religious rites, food for visitors, and flowers or wreaths are often extra.
What are the government fees?
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Cremation at Mandai Crematorium | S$100 adult; S$50 child under 10 |
| Standard niche, Choa Chu Kang Columbarium | S$500 |
| Family niche, Choa Chu Kang Columbarium | S$900 |
| Choosing a specific niche location | S$250 extra |
| Burial, citizens and PRs (Muslim, Ahmadiyya, Jewish, Parsi and Bahai cemeteries) | S$315 adult; S$140 child under 10 |
| Burial, citizens and PRs (other government cemeteries) | S$940 adult; S$420 child under 10 |
| Inland ash scattering, Garden of Peace | S$320 booking fee |
Private crematoria and columbaria, such as those at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, set their own prices.
How does burial work?
Choa Chu Kang Cemetery is the only active burial ground. Under a policy dating from 1998, burial is for 15 years. After that, the grave is exhumed. The remains are cremated and placed in a niche if the family’s religion permits; otherwise they’re reburied in a smaller individual plot.
The WahLiao Verdict
The government’s part of the bill is small; the funeral director’s package is where the money goes. Ask for an itemised quote from more than one director, and talk as a family about what matters before the day comes.
Questions people ask
How do I book a cremation?
Through NEA’s ePortal, by phone, or in person at the crematorium’s service counters. Funeral directors usually do this for families.
Can I choose where a niche is?
Yes, for an extra S$250. Otherwise one is allocated automatically.
Can I scatter ashes?
Yes: at sea, or inland in designated lanes at the Garden of Peace and the Garden of Serenity. Only fine ashes can be scattered inland.
Where can I find a guide to what to do after a death?
The government’s MyLegacy site sets out the steps, from registering the death to managing the estate.
Sources: NEA, burial, cremation and ash storage fees and post-death matters; MyLegacy, managing the cremation; Ask Gov on niche fees; MoneySmart on funeral costs and the CCCS survey.
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