Yes, burial in Singapore is still allowed. But it is not the same choice it was for your grandparents. There is one cemetery, the grave is leased for 15 years, and some people cannot be buried here at all.
Families often hear the word "burial" and picture a grave that stays forever. That has not been true in Singapore since 1998. Knowing the rules early helps you decide calmly, and avoids a painful surprise years later.
Where burial in Singapore takes place
The National Environment Agency (NEA) says the Choa Chu Kang Cemetery Complex is the only cemetery in Singapore open for burials. Older cemeteries still exist, but they no longer take new graves.
Choa Chu Kang has sections for different faiths, including Chinese, Christian, Muslim, Hindu and other communities. The faith of the person who died decides the section. Inside that section, NEA gives out the plot. Families book a burial slot through NEA, and a funeral director usually does this for them.
The 15-year rule
From 1 November 1998, NEA limited the burial period for all graves to 15 years. When the 15 years are up, the grave is exhumed. The remains are then cremated and placed in a niche. Where a religion requires burial, the remains are buried again in a smaller plot.
The exhumations happen in phases, block by block. NEA gives notice before each phase and asks families to register a claim. In June 2025, NEA ended Phase 8, a Muslim phase. All the remains from it were buried again in smaller plots at Pusara Abadi and Pusara Aman, inside Choa Chu Kang Cemetery. Phase 9, covering Chinese graves, is under way now.
So a burial today is really a 15-year arrangement, followed by a second decision. Our article on what happens when a 15-year burial ends explains that second choice.
Who can be buried in Singapore
Citizens and permanent residents can be buried at Choa Chu Kang. For foreigners the rule is tighter.
NEA allows a foreigner to be buried here only if their immediate next-of-kin is a citizen or permanent resident. Immediate next-of-kin means a parent, a spouse or a child. NEA must also approve it in writing first. If this does not apply, cremation is the usual choice, and foreigners may be cremated in Singapore.
The rule is stricter still for a death abroad. On its page about deaths overseas, NEA says the bodies of foreign nationals are generally not allowed to be imported into Singapore for burial. A family bringing a foreign relative home for burial should ask a funeral director to check with NEA before booking a flight.
What burial costs in Singapore
NEA publishes its burial fees. The table below shows them as listed on NEA’s burial, cremation and ash storage page, last updated September 2026.
| Who | Age 10 and over | Under 10 |
|---|---|---|
| Citizen or PR, Muslim, Ahmadiyya Jama’at, Jewish, Parsi or Bahai cemetery | $315 | $140 |
| Citizen or PR, other government cemeteries | $940 | $420 |
| Not a citizen or PR | $1,880 | $940 |
These are NEA’s fees for the burial plot. A child under 10 costs less in every section, and the Muslim and some other faith sections have their own lower fee. Families who are not citizens or permanent residents pay double the usual rate. They do not include the casket, the wake, transport, the headstone or the funeral director’s work. No authority publishes those prices, so ask each funeral director for an itemised quote.
What the family pays for when the 15 years end
Many people assume the exhumation will cost the family a lot. For graves in an NEA exhumation phase, the family usually pays very little. In its notice for the current Chinese phase, Phase 9, NEA says it will bear the cost of the exhumation and the cremation. It also covers a standard niche, a standard urn and a plaque with the name and date of death. If the family prefers, NEA will scatter the ashes on land or at sea instead, also at no charge.
The family pays only when it wants more than the standard. NEA charges $250 if you want to choose where the niche is, rather than take the one it allocates. A family that wants a private niche, a better urn or its own exhumation team pays for that too. NEA lets claimants hire their own contractor, but that contractor must apply for an exhumation permit and meet NEA’s deadlines.
Relatives may also watch the exhumation on the scheduled day. Many Chinese families want prayers or offerings at that moment, so they plan for it with a monk, a priest or a funeral director.
This is worth knowing on the day you book a burial. The grave does not last forever. But the end of the lease is usually not a big bill. The real cost is the second decision, and the time it takes to make it.
Burial or cremation: what families weigh
For many families the choice comes down to cost and time as well as faith. A cremation at an NEA crematorium costs $100 for an adult, and a standard niche in a government columbarium costs $500.
Burial still makes sense in some cases:
- The faith of the person who died requires it.
- The family wants a grave to visit, and accepts that it will be exhumed after 15 years.
- The person asked for it clearly, and the family wants to respect that.
If you are weighing both, our comparison of cremation and burial in Singapore sets the two side by side.
What to decide before you book a burial
A burial moves fast once the date is set. It helps to agree on four things first.
- Which section of the cemetery, based on the faith of the person who died.
- Who in the family will be the contact person for NEA in 15 years’ time. Write this down, because the exhumation notice will come years later.
- What you want done when the 15 years end: a niche, scattering, or burial again where the faith allows it.
- Whether the family wants a monument or only a simple plaque, and what the lease terms allow for that section.
Changes to a booked burial date must be made in person at the Choa Chu Kang Cemetery Office by the applicant or next-of-kin. So confirm the date with the family before it is booked.
For the plots, the layout and the paths inside the cemetery, see our guide to Choa Chu Kang Cemetery. To talk through burial or cremation for your family, start with funeral services in Singapore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is burial still allowed in Singapore?
Yes. Burial is allowed at the Choa Chu Kang Cemetery Complex, which NEA says is the only cemetery open for burials. Every grave there is limited to 15 years.
How long does a grave last in Singapore?
Since 1 November 1998, the burial period is 15 years. After that the grave is exhumed, and the remains are cremated and placed in a niche, or buried again in a smaller plot where the faith requires it.
How much does a burial plot cost in Singapore?
NEA charges citizens and permanent residents $940 for a person aged 10 and over in most sections, and $315 in the Muslim, Ahmadiyya Jama’at, Jewish, Parsi and Bahai sections. Non-citizens pay $1,880. These are plot fees only.
Can a foreigner be buried in Singapore?
Only if the person’s immediate next-of-kin, meaning a parent, spouse or child, is a citizen or permanent resident. NEA must approve the burial in writing first.
What happens to the grave after 15 years?
NEA exhumes graves in phases and gives notice to families first. Families can register a claim and choose a niche or scattering. In the current Chinese phase, NEA says unclaimed ashes are kept for three years and then scattered at sea.
Burial rules and fees above are from the National Environment Agency’s burial, cremation and ash management page (last updated September 2026) and its Choa Chu Kang exhumation pages (last updated August 2026).
