Funeral In Singapore: How Much Does It Cost To Die and Top 10 Best Services

Photo KnowInsiders

We all know that living in Singapore can be costly – that’s just a result of living in a world-class city. However, most of us can make adjustments to our lifestyles, making more frugal choices and living within our means.

But what about after we die? Can our last rites in this expensive city mirror how we lived – frugally and with dignity?

Thankfully, the answer is yes.

Step-by-Step Guide: What To Do When Someone Passes Away

Depending on the location of the death, is it in the hospital, at home, or overseas, each has its set of necessary steps to take.

Steps to take when death occurs in the hospital/home

Step 1: Obtain Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD) in the hospital

If the doctor at the hospital can certify the cause of death and the cause is natural, the doctor will fill up the Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD).

Contact the doctor or any neighbourhood doctor that is willing to take a house call to certify the death.

The rest of the steps are similar

If the cause of death unknown

If the doctor is unable to certify the cause of death, call the police to have the body sent to [email protected] (Singapore General Hospital, Block 9)

Step 2: Contact a funeral director

If there is already one assigned, simply contact the relevant Funeral Director. If not, the family will need to engage one.

The funeral director will collect the body, send the body for embalming and deliver to the location of the wake.

Step 3: Register the death

The family can register the death at any Police station or the Registry of Births and Deaths.

READ MORE: Funeral Costs In America: 10 Most Expensive Places To Die

How much does it cost to hold a funeral in Singapore?

How much does a funeral services typically costs - Burial or Cremation in Singapore

Photo Nituo Festival

The total cost of a funeral ceremony in Singapore is mostly determined by the duration of the event and the deceased’s faith. The greater the length of the funeral ceremony, the higher the entire expense.

In most cases, a funeral ceremony includes a space, appropriate décor, a casket, seats and tables, lighting, fans, and flowers.

that religious funerals can be more expensive due to the ceremonial materials and people required to carry out the ceremony. If you want to save money, choose a funeral service without a funeral director, but be prepared to handle all of the labor yourself, from obtaining a funeral permit to finding a coffin, flowers, and decorations.

In any case, the following is the average cost of funeral services in Singapore, broken down by religion:

After the good-byes, you have to decide what to do with the remains of your loved one – land burial, sea burial or cremation.

Burial (land)

With Singapore running out of land, there’s only one cemetery available now in Choa Chu Kang. The burial period is limited to 15 years. After that, the remains have to be cremated or re-interred. Because of this, most people don’t choose burial unless it’s for religious reasons.

It would cost you about $315 for Muslim, Parsi or Bahai burial. The price goes up steeply to $940 for a Christian, Chinese or Hindu burial.

Burial (sea)

You can opt to scatter the remains in the sea. This can be done 2.8km south of Pualu Semakau between 7am and 7pm. The MPA’s Port Marine Safety Control Centre can help you with this.

Now, you can even buy scattering tubes (from $200) to contain the remains for scattering instead of wrapping them up in a red or white cloth. There are even bio-degradable urns (from $175) made from recycled paper and paper clay that can be tossed into the sea without harming the environment. These are designed to float for about 20 minutes before sinking, giving families time to bid their final farewell.

A sea burial is potentially less environmentally damaging than a cremation. It is also much cheaper than a burial or cremation (since you have to pay to store the urn at a columbarium). And generations after don’t have to maintain the niche. The con is that there is nowhere you can go to to visit your loved one.

A sea burial can cost anywhere from $80 to over $1,000, depending on how extravagant an affair it is.

Cremation

There are three crematoriums in Singapore: Mandai Crematorium (government), Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery (private) and Tse Toh Aum Temple (private).

Cremation will require an urn for the storage of the remains, a niche in a columbarium to store the urn as well as a marble plaque engraved with your details to cover the niche. There’s nothing to stop you from keeping the urn at home but that’ll mean that generations thereafter have to care for the urn or, at least, store it.

Most people choose to have the urns placed at either a government columbarium (there are 3) or a private one (there are nearly 60). Choosing a government columbarium costs less but you can’t pick your niche.

Remembering the departed

If turning your grandpa into a tree is a little too “progressive” for your family to accept, there are several more acceptable ways you can remember the departed, from traditional columbariums to obituaries, and even turning them into personal jewellery.

Other associated costs

COVID-19 Restrictions On Funerals

Due to the current pandemic situation, attendance at wakes and funerals including foot processions must be kept at 30 persons or fewer, depending on the safe capacity of the venue. If the safe capacity of the venue is lower than 30, the venue limit will apply for the maximum number of people allowed. Pre-event testing is not required.

For burials and cremations, NEA will issue a maximum of 30 entry passes for each cremation or burial application at government-managed facilities.

Prevailing safe management measures will still apply, i.e. wearing of masks at all times, group sizes of not more than 5 and no mixing between groups. 1-metre distance must be maintained for seating arrangements and between groups.

Food and drinks (including bottled drinks or individually packed titbits) are disallowed at funerals. Family members of the deceased who are keeping vigil during the funeral wake may consume individually packed food/drinks. However, they must not interact with others when eating and must consume their meal away from other attendees.

Live (non-wind) instrumental music is allowed at funerals but they are not allowed to participate in foot processions. The musician must wear a mask and maintain one-metre distance. For more details and updates, please refer to NEA’s guidelines.

TOP 5 FUNERAL SERVICES IN SINGAPORE

1. ANG BROTHERS FUNERAL SERVICES

• Best for

  Low-priced, high quality services

• Address

  Blk 4028 Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 1, #01-219, Singapore 569639

• Phone

  +65 8265 0301

• Website

  Ang Brothers Funeral Services

• Email

  [email protected]

Low price, premium services: Cheap prices do not mean low quality. With Ang Brothers, you will get premium items and settings at no extra cost. Prices have remained the same for the past 13 years while their services continue to improve over time.

2. NIRVANA MEMORIAL GARDEN

• Best for

  One-stop professional funeral services

• Address

  950 Old Choa Chu Kang Rd Singapore, Singapore 699816

• Phone

  +65 9238 6601

• Website

  Nirvana Memorial Garden

• Email

  [email protected]

“Journey with Love”: This special service is a first of its kind in Asia. A team of embalmers and beauticians subject the deceased to a “spa treatment” which the bereaved family can join and witness to pay respect to their deceased loved one in the final journey to the afterlife.

3. SINGAPORE FUNERAL GROUP

• Best for

  Complete funeral packages and parlour services

• Address

  Block 38, Sin Ming Drive #01-523 Singapore 575712

• Phone

  +65 6817 4288

• Opening hours

  24 hours

• Website

  Singapore Funeral Group

• Email

  [email protected]

Unique and personalized funerals: Memorial packages can be customized according to the desires of the family. Singapore Funeral Group has granted several requests regarding customized caskets, themed funeral halls, and wake and burial setups that reflect the personality of the deceased.

4. HARMONY FUNERAL CARE

• Best for

  Repatriation of bodies and remains to other locations

• Address

  38 Sin Ming Drive #01-523, Singapore 575712

• Phone

  +65 9489 2424

• Website

  www.singaporefuneralservices.sg

Full package and customized funeral services: Unlike other operators across the city, Harmony Funeral Care offers end-to-end completed packages. This does not end here; they also provide you with personalized services, and you can make your package as per your religious or family norms to get a competitive price quote.

5. SINGAPORE CASKET

• Best for

  Worldwide repatriation services and spacious parlor halls

• Address

  131 Lavender Street, Singapore 338737

• Phone

  +65 6293 4388

• Website

  www.singaporecasket.com.sg

Worldwide repatriation of dead bodies and remains: Unlike other services that have their repatriation services limited to few countries, Singapore Casket offers reasonably priced global repatriation services. With years of experience, they know the laws and regulations of each country and will handle all the legal and transportation matters on your behalf.

Top 10 Finest Funeral Services in Singapore

1.Singapore Funeral Sanctuary

Singapore Funeral Sanctuary (UEN:53409653X) is a well-known funeral home with a Best in Singapore rating. They have developed a selection of packages and services appropriate for all family sizes wanting to organize any sort of funeral wake with the objective of delivering both inexpensive and excellent funeral services in Singapore. Furthermore, while interacting with their clients, they take a straightforward and open approach by offering a detailed description of their package elements and costs.

2.SK Funeral Group

SK Funeral Group is a group with more than 20 years of experience in the funeral industry in Singapore and provides the largest funeral setups variety for families to choose from upon engaging their services. Experience the best funeral services in Singapore with SK Funeral Group.

SK Funeral Group provides the most valuable funeral package of all religions in Singapore and its mission is to uphold the highest funeral standard in Singapore and the best funeral experience to all bereavement families.

3.Singapore Funeral & Casket Services

They are the leading supplier with more than 20 years of experience in the funeral industry and they have handled a wide array of funeral cases from the simplest to the most elaborated one thus you can entrust your loved ones to their care.

Their firm provides the finest value funeral packages with the objective of providing clients with both quality and service pleasure. They realize that making the proper option during a time of loss is extremely tough, so they’ll provide them advice based on their specific requirements.

Their dedicated team is well-trained and ready to manage any sort of funeral service, regardless of religion or race. They are committed to giving bereaved families with support and assistance in order to alleviate their grief and stress. They promise that their services will be provided with the utmost respect, quality, and integrity.

4.Seng Heng Celestial Funeral Services

SENG HENG CELESTIAL SERVICES started in 2001, by the late Mr Lim Kock Seng, with the focus on providing supplies aSENG HENG CELESTIAL SERVICES was founded in 2001 by the late Mr Lim Kock Seng with the goal of providing funeral services and support. Mr Lim Soon Tee, the late Mr Lim Kock Seng’s son, took over when he passed away. The firm has evolved to cover a larger variety of services for all types of funeral services under the current leadership of Mr Lim Soon Tee.

5.Singapore Funeral Group

Singapore Funeral Group is a team of funeral directors with over 15 years of experience in the industry. Having served families from all walks of life, they can easily identify and render assistance to your various needs. As featured on various mainstream media in Singapore, they’re a young team that’s shaking up practices in the industry. From religious wakes to modern funeral setups, they have the necessary experience to create a meaningful farewell for your loved one.

They are also able to incorporate modern elements into religious funeral services for a more memorable wake. They provide sendoffs in a modern and luxurious hearse for a dignified farewell. With a firm belief to only provide the best for their clients, they ensure that funeral setups are unique and personalised. Their showroom is located at Sin Ming Drive — with a high-tech embalming centre and full funeral facilities all under one roof. Should you require any assistance, simply drop them a call.

6.Nituo Funeral Care Services

Nituo Funeral strives to deliver trustworthy funeral services. They cheerfully take your calls in the small hours of the morning, rain or shine. They strive diligently to guarantee a blessed goodbye because they recognize the responsibility they have to the community. They have been in business since 2012, and they’ve established themselves as a go-to place for Taoist and Buddhist funerals. They seek to ensure that their unique customs and ceremonies are preserved.

7.Trinity Casket

Will you give them the honor of celebrating the memory of your loved one? At Trinity Casket, they believe that each life deserves to be remembered and celebrated.

Funeral arrangements are tough to make. Singaporeans, on the other hand, choose Trinity Casket because their dedicated Managers will walk you through each step. They remove the ambiguity, enabling you to focus on remembering your loved one.

All of their rates are reasonable, fixed, and clear, whether you pick one of their inexpensive packages or a bespoke service. They follow all safe management procedures and are approved partners of HSA, SGH, TTSH, KKH, and NUH, so you can rest certain that you’re receiving the finest in the business. To read all of their reviews, go to their website.

Since 1991, Trinity Casket has provided comprehensive service with skilled permanent employees. They also have their own private embalming facilities and adhere to the highest standards.

8.Nirvana Memorial Garden

Nirvana Memorial Garden is a world-class, full-fledged bereavement care provider, as well as first privatised columbarium in Singapore. The whole building is designed with auspicious elements Feng Shui and fully air-conditioned. Their products and services include Funeral Services offered on both as-needed and pre-needed basis, Columbarium Niche, Ancestor Pedestal, Prayer Services as well Funeral Pre-Planning.

Nirvana Memorial Garden provides a 0% interest instalment plan, allowing clients to spread out their payments and lessen their financial strain.

9.Funeral Solutions

Singapore Funeral Solutions believes in making memories last forever, and your loved ones deserve to make a final mark in everyone’s minds as they depart from our world.

With over 12 years of experience in the service, alongside the many decades of experience held by our staff, Singapore Funeral Solutions dedicates itself to guide your family in dealing with bereavement.

10.Casket Fairprice

A trusted funeral services provider in Singapore, Casket Fairprice has grown steadily to become one of the leading Singapore’s funeral service group since our establishment in 1993. From funeral parlours to casket services, they provide a one-stop solution to meet all your funeral arrangement needs.

Their website contains all the information relevant for a memorial and funeral service so you can make the best and informed decision for you or your loved one. If you have any questions which are not answered by what you find here or you require immediate assistance now, call at +65 6455 9909. Their funeral advisor will be able to guide you step by step through the whole funeral procedure. Their funeral packages start from $4,680 nett.

Funeral Costs in Australia: Top 7 Most Expensive Places To Die It is actually more expensive to die in some Australian cities than others. How much does it cost to bury a person in Australia for ...

Funeral Costs In The World: Top 15 Most Expensive Places To Die Where is the most expensive place of death across the world? If you want to know the burial cost around the world, scroll down!

Funeral in Canada: How Much Does It Cost To Die? How much it costs for a funeral in Canada? Average costs for burial and cremation in 2022.