Buddhist funeral costs in Singapore can vary depending on the funeral duration, wake venue, casket selection, chanting arrangements, funeral facilities and other services required by the family.

Besides the funeral service itself, families may also need to consider other expenses such as cremation, the final resting place, prayer services and memorial arrangements.

Understanding these costs in advance can help families plan a respectful funeral while keeping the arrangements within a comfortable budget.

In this guide, we look at the different expenses that may be involved after the passing of a loved one and explain the main factors that can affect the cost of a Buddhist funeral in Singapore.

Common Funeral-Related Costs in Singapore

1. Death certificate

The very first thing that you need to do for your loved one is to register the Certificate of Cause of Death. If the loved one passed on in a hospital, there will no charge. If the loved one passed on while under palliative care at home, there will be a charge of about $200+ for the house call doctor to certify the cause of death.

2. Autopsy

If the departed passed on due to natural causes such as disease, illness, breakdown of bodily function (eg heart, lung failure); or an accident; there will be no order for autopsy. If the departed passed on due to unnatural or suspected causes, an autopsy may be carried out by order of the Coroner’s Act. You can purchase the coroner’s report at $160.50. If you wish to get another opinion and engage a private certified coroner to do the autopsy; it will cost about $5000 and above.

3. Obituary, Montage, Photography, and Videography Services

To inform relatives and friends about the passing of your loved one, you can also put up an obituary on Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao, or do it online. The cost of a printed obituary is from $20 to $63 per column per day. And the cost of a digital obituary is $250 per year. You can also engage a contractor or a freelance designer to do a montage slideshow of your departed loved one, to be shown at the funeral. The cost will be about $100 or less. The Funeral Service Package of Nirvana Singapore is including the free online obituary.

There may be overseas family members who are not able to attend the funeral. One solution is to engage a photographer or videographer to take memories of the funeral from the beginning to the niche installation at the final resting place.

To save cost, you can engage a relative to help to capture the moments; or you can get professional help. The cost of professional event photographers ranges from $800 to $2000+. While the cost of professional videographers ranges from $1500 to $4000+ (including video editing services).

4. What Affects the Cost of a Buddhist Funeral?

The cost of a Buddhist funeral can vary depending on the funeral duration, wake venue, casket selection and services included in the arrangement.

Families should compare the inclusions carefully and understand what is provided before confirming the funeral arrangement.

For current 3-day and 5-day arrangements, view our Buddhist Funeral Packages in Singapore.

One example is the casket. Pinewood or softwood material caskets or eco-friendly non-wood caskets cost relatively less than solid hardwood caskets such as mahogany, cherry, or white oak. For solid wood caskets, the more design details, the more expensive it will be. Ask if the casket is full-glass, half-glass, or no-glass design. A full-glass coffin will be the most expensive.

Buddhist funeral costs may also be affected by the services included in the arrangement, such as embalming and makeup, transfer and care of the departed, hearse, wake setup or funeral parlour rental, floral arrangements, chanting, transportation and pallbearer services.