Nothing can be said to be certain in this world except death and taxes. It lies at the end of every path, and there’s nothing we can do about that.
What we can do is to plan ahead – arming ourselves with the knowledge and understanding necessary to make an informed decision when the time is right.
This is applicable to matters of death as well. In Singapore, there are two main options available for loved ones who’ve passed on: Burial and cremation, with the resulting ashes either stored in an urn or scattered over land or sea.
Both of these options come with a bevy of considerations ranging from the practical – think cost or convenience of visitation – and the emotional, depending on you or your loved ones’ personal beliefs.
Read on for a step-by-step guide to the burial and cremation process in Singapore, as well as a list of their pros and cons.
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Differences between a cremation and burial service
There are several similarities between funeral services regardless of whether one opts to be cremated or buried. For one, both incur costs for embalming, a casket and a funeral wake.
Those who opt for cremations will have to account for costs like niche placement in a columbarium, urn and plaque – or burial at land or on sea – while those who opt for a burial will incur costs for opening and closing the grave.
Opting for burial in Singapore
There is only one cemetery in Singapore open for land burials: Choa Chu Kang Cemetery Complex. Burials cost $315 for people aged 10 and above of the Ahmadi, Baha’i, Jewish, Muslim, and Parsi where burial is mandated by religion.
It costs $940 for people outside of those faiths.
Booking a burial plot
Note that burial plot reservations in Singapore are not permitted and will be allocated by sequential order.
You can arrange for a burial in-person at the Choa Chu Kang Cemetery Booking Office (910 Choa Chu Kang Road), but it is far more convenient to make a booking online via the National Environment Agency’s website.
Burial period of 15 years
The burial period in Singapore is limited to just 15 years due to constraints on land space, meaning that graves must be exhumed after that period. For religions that mandate burials, the exhumed remains will be reburied in smaller, individual plots shared with others.
Otherwise, the exhumed remains will be cremated.
Cremations popular in Singapore
When it comes to after-death arrangements, cremations remain the more popular option with four out of five people in Singapore opting to be cremated at one of three crematoria on the island.
While cremations cost only $100 (or $50 for someone below 10 years of age) at government-managed Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium Complex, private crematoria like Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery and Tse Toh Aum Temple charge $300 and $400 respectively.
Cremations are typically arranged by your funeral director, though you can book a slot in-person at Mandai Crematorium or online via NEA’s website.
Many storage options available for cremains
The popularity of cremations in Singapore is likely due in part to the wider range of storage options for cremains, or the pulverised bone fragments that are left over after a body has been cremated.
The cremains can be scattered at sea (within an approved site south of Pulau Semakau) or inland at the Garden of Peace in Choa Chu Kang Cemetery Complex.
Those opting for the former – which ranges in price, depending on the size of boat rented and religious rites performed – can enlist the help of a funeral director to arrange for a boat rental and other logistics, though you can also contact the Port Marine Safety Control Centre directly at +65 6325 2488.
Land burials, on the other hand, cost $320 and can again be arranged via NEA’s website. Cremains can even be stored at home in an urn – or on your person as a piece of jewellery!
Private and government-owned columbarium options in Singapore
That said, it is more common to store cremains in an urn at either a government-managed or private columbarium.
There are two government-operated columbaria, Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium Complex, and Choa Chu Kang Columbarium.
A standard niche at either costs $500, with an additional fee of $250 if you’d like to select a specific spot.
There are also more than 60 private columbaria in Singapore now, many of which are faith-based and can be found on the premises of a temple or church.
Spots here are naturally pricier than government columbaria – costing anywhere from a couple thousand dollars to the mid-five figures – with the added benefit of greater personalisation to suit the personal beliefs and preferences of individuals.
For example, you’d typically be able to reserve slots together with loved ones.
Goldhill Memorial Centre is Singapore’s first smart columbarium
Those looking for a suitably tranquil final resting place for their loved ones – or looking to pre-plan their own after-death arrangements – can turn to Goldhill Memorial Centre, Singapore’s first smart columbarium in Tampines.
The modern columbarium stores urns in a secure underground space via an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) designed by Daifuku, a Japan-based pioneer in storage.
This means that the urns will be kept safe and serene until retrieved for visiting at a comfortably appointed suite with the use of a membership card.
The urns will be retrieved and displayed at eye level in Goldhill Memorial Centre’s various suites, making it easy and convenient to visit your ancestors.
The privacy afforded by the suites makes allows families to take their time with the visit, without fear of being disturbed by others.
The multi-faith columbarium also provides a digital tribute service, where loved ones are immortalised with videos, photographs and interviews that will be played during visits.
These can help the younger generation to better know their ancestors compared to just a simple black-and-white photo.
The Private Suite, which allows for up to two urns, costs $19,888, while the VIP Suite niche – which allows for up to six urns to be viewed at a time, with space for 30 to visit – costs $68,888.
To find out more, contact Goldhill Memorial Centre at +65 6250 8088 or +65 8428 0801.
This article is written in collaboration with Goldhill Memorial Centre.
