If you’re facing the loss of a loved one, you will struggle with many questions. Choosing between Cremation or burial in Singapore, you will likely have to ask, which funeral services are right for my family? How much will the funeral expenses be? What will happen during the funeral process? Do they cater cremation services? How can I ensure this ceremony honours their lives and comforts our family and friends?
To help answer these questions, we’ll explore what each option involves and how much it costs. what to expect at a catholic funeral:
1. Difference Between Cremation And Burial
After the funeral service is oover, the deceased’s body can be laid to rest in one of two distinct ways: either by Cremation or burial:
Burial
When a person is buried, their body is placed in a coffin and the coffin will be buried at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery, which is the only remaining cemetery in Singapore.
Cremation
During a cremation, the body is burned, and the ashes are left behind. These ashes are then put inside an urn. Depending on your family’s wish, you can either place the urn in a columbarium, temple church or at home. Some may also choose to disperse it into the sea or on land.
In both processes: you will have to pay for the coffin, the embalming, the transportation of the body, and the wake that follows the funeral. However, if you want to have the body cremated, you will need to account for the expenditures of the urn and the columbarium.
2. Important Factors That Should Be Taken Into Account Before Either A Burial Or Cremation
Burial
In Singapore, only Choa Chu Kang Cemetery accepts new graves. All burials must be reinterred or exhumed after 15 years. Exhumations and placement in columbarium niches occur after this time.
Those whose faiths ban Cremation may have their remains interred in smaller, individual plots. The burial plot must be reserved and paid for at the booking office before the funeral.
Address: 910 Choa Chu Kang Road, Singapore 699819
Telephone: 6795 9731 Fax: 6795 0885
Choa Chu Kang Cemetery Booking Office
Important paperwork to have on hand before the funeral:
- Certificate of Death in Digital Format
- Burial authorisation document
- There must be documentation showing the applicant’s and their family’s identities for the burial to be granted (or if the applicant is not next-of-kin, a letter of authorisation is required)
Choa Chu Kang Cemetery is the sole place to be laid to rest in Singapore, and plots there cost $315 for Muslims, Jews, Parsis, and Bahais. In case you belong to a religion not mentioned, all other cemetery sites would set you back $940.
Cremation
There are three crematoriums in Singapore, two owned privately and one operated by the government. Pre-arrangement and payment are required for cremation services.
Government-Owned Mandai Crematorium
Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium Complex (Government-owned)
- Address: 300 Mandai Road, Singapore 779393
- Tel: 655 45 655
- Fax: 6459 5228
Prices:
- Child- $50
- Adult – $100
Additional niche:
- $500 – standard niche
- $900 – family niche
Private Crematoria
Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery
- Address: 88 Bright Hill Drive
- Tel: 6453 4046
- Fax: 6459 2258
Tse Toh Aum Temple
- Address: 601 Sin Ming Drive
- Tel: 6454 7666
Prices: $321 – $535
Note: Prices of urn storage may differ. Please check with the relevant parties for accurate pricing.
Columbarium Niches
Cremated ashes can be stored in columbarium niches. The documents required are:
- Original death certificate
- Proof of identity of next-of-kin
- If the applicant is not next-of-kin, a letter of authorisation is required
Ash Scattering
The ashes can be scattered in the ocean or on land.
Land Burial
The Garden of Peace in Choa Chu Kang Cemetery is available for inland ash scattering at $320. It’s easy to reserve a spot at either the Chua Chu Kang Cemetery or Mandai Crematorium; you only need to make a reservation over the phone or online.
Sea Burial
Sea Burial price range – $328
For sea burial, you will need to rent a boat and take it to a location that is accessible between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. MPA’s Port Marine Safety Control Centre may be reached at (6325 2488) for further information. Alternatively, we can also help to arrange for sea burial requests and assist you through the process.
3. Respect Your Loved One’s Last Requests
Your choice would be significantly influenced by the wishes of the person you cared about before they passed away. Your deceased loved one may have strongly preferred burial or scattering their ashes at sea, maybe due to religious or personal considerations.
With a better understanding of your loved one’s values in mind, making a choice will be less of a challenge.
4. Consult A Funeral Director To Make Arrangements For Either Cremation Or Buurial Of The Deceased.
Talk to a funeral director about arranging a burial or cremation. If you’d like things to go more smoothly no matter which route you take, consulting a funeral director is a good idea.
Our staff of skilled funeral directors is equipped to handle all aspects of the funeral, from ensuring a seamless ceremony to making any additional preparations that may be necessary.
Conclusion About Cremation Or Burial In Singapore
In the end, choosing a funeral is about more than just logistics. It’s a personal decision that reflects how you want to say goodbye, whether that means cremation or burial.
Before you make any decisions, talk with your loved ones about what they think would be best for them and their needs. That way, everyone can feel comfortable making arrangements for their loved one’s wake.To have a peaceful and stress-free funeral is our main priority.
Contact us to know more about our funeral services.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cremation Or Burial In Singapore
Is It Okay To Keep The Cremated Ashes In Singapore?
The family can keep the ashes in a sealed urn. A funeral director can assist you in this matter whether you want to keep the urn in a shrine or at home.
What Happens To The Coffin After The Body Is Cremated?
The body and the coffin will be cremated together.The funeral process for cremation can be explained thoroughly by your funeral director as they cater for your different needs.
Are We Allowed To Scatter Ashes In Singapore?
Beyond the present options of preserving cremated remains in columbarium niches, storing them at home, or scattering them at sea, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has introduced Inland Ash Scattering (IAS) as an alternative option for the management of cremated remains in Singapore.
Are There Different Funeral Services For Different Religions?
Choose a funeral service provider that offers different funeral packages for different religions. Funeral directors will guide you through and are experts at every step you have to take as your deceased loved ones deserve the best for their funeral.
