After a cremation in Singapore, most families pick an urn within a day or two, before they have seen the niche it will sit in. That order causes the most common problem with urns. The urn is bought first, and then it does not fit the space, or it fits but looks wrong behind the glass.
The easier way is to decide where the ashes will go, then choose the urn. This guide explains how to do that, what the government covers and what it does not, and what to ask before you pay.
Cremation in Singapore now has a second government crematorium
On 15 August 2025, the National Environment Agency (NEA) opened Mandai North Crematorium. It also opened the Garden of Serenity, a second garden for scattering ashes on land. Singapore now has four crematoria: two run by NEA at Mandai, and two private ones at temples.
This matters for urns in one way. More families now have a real choice at the end of the cremation. The ashes can go into an urn and a niche, or be scattered at a garden with no urn at all. So the first question is not "which urn?" It is "will we keep the ashes, and where?"
Step 1: Decide where the ashes will go
There are three usual answers.
- A niche in a government columbarium. NEA sells niches at Choa Chu Kang and Mandai. A standard niche costs $500 and holds about two urns. A family niche costs $900 and holds about four.
- A niche in a private columbarium. These are run by temples and private operators. Prices, sizes and rules differ from place to place.
- Scattering. NEA’s inland gardens charge $320. Only fine ashes may be scattered there, so no urn is kept.
At the two NEA crematoria at Mandai, the $100 fee for an adult covers the service hall, the cremation and the collection of the ashes. The family, or the funeral director, collects the ashes afterwards. That is the moment the urn is needed, so it helps to have the plan ready before the cremation day, not after it.
If you are not sure yet, you do not have to decide on the day. Many families take the ashes home in a simple urn, then choose a niche later. What you should avoid is paying for an expensive urn before you know the size of the space.
Step 2: Get the inside size of the niche
This is the step most people skip. NEA does not publish the inside measurements of its niches on its website. Private columbaria rarely print them either. So ask the columbarium directly for three numbers: the inside height, width and depth.
Then measure the urn itself, since a listing may leave out the lid. Include the lid, any knob on top, and the base. Leave room for your hand to place it and lift it out. A niche that "holds two urns" holds two of a certain size. It does not promise that two tall urns will stand side by side.
If two people may share the niche one day, plan for the second urn now. Choose two urns that fit together, or one urn with space beside it.
Step 3: Know what the niche fee does not cover
A common surprise is that the NEA niche fee is for storing the ashes only. NEA’s terms say the fee does not include the urn, the plaque or any installation work. You pay for those separately.
The same is true at the crematorium. A simple cremation with no wake still needs an urn or a container for the ashes, and a funeral director may add it to the bill. Our note on direct cremation and the add-ons nobody lists shows which extras to ask about. If the urn is already bought, tell the funeral director so it is not charged twice.
Private columbaria often bundle more into one price. Ask for a written list of what the price includes. The useful items to check are the urn, the plaque and its engraving, the photo on the plaque, and the placement ceremony.
Step 4: Choose the material for where it will sit
Material matters less than size, but it still matters.
- Behind glass, indoors: almost any material works. Families often choose ceramic, porcelain, jade-look stone or wood.
- Outdoors or in a humid spot: avoid materials that swell, crack or fade. Ask the columbarium which materials they allow.
- If it may move later: a heavy stone urn is harder to carry to another niche. Think about this if you might move the ashes to a family niche one day.
No authority publishes urn prices, and they vary a lot. Ask each seller for the price, the exact size and whether delivery to the columbarium is included.
Step 5: Match the urn to the rite
Many Chinese families hold a short ceremony when the urn is placed in the niche. Buddhist and Taoist families may want a monk or priest to chant. Christian families may ask a pastor to say a prayer. None of this changes the size you need. It can change the timing, because the placement date is often picked with care.
Tell the columbarium early if you want a ceremony. Some have set hours for placements, and some need notice for a monk or priest.
Step 6: Plan for a move later
Ashes do not always stay where they are first placed. A family may later move an urn from a government niche to a private one, or bring two urns together. NEA must approve the removal of an urn from its niches, and there is no refund of the niche fee.
If a move is likely, pick an urn that travels well. A sealed lid and a shape that is easy to hold both help. Our guide on moving an urn from a government columbarium to a private one explains the process in full.
What to bring to the conversation
When you speak to a columbarium, bring the urn’s measurements or a photo with a ruler beside it. Ask these questions:
- What are the inside height, width and depth of the niche?
- Does the price include the urn, plaque, engraving and placement?
- Can we hold a ceremony when the urn is placed, and when?
- Can a second urn be added later, and is there a fee for that?
You can see how private niches are laid out on the columbarium niches page. For what happens between the cremation and the niche, read what happens after a cremation in Singapore. If you are still deciding on the funeral itself, start with funeral and memorial services in Singapore.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size urn fits a niche in Singapore?
There is no single size. NEA does not publish the inside measurements of its niches online, and private columbaria differ. Ask the columbarium for the inside height, width and depth before you buy, and measure the urn including its lid.
How many urns can go in one niche?
NEA says a standard niche holds about two urns and a family niche about four. The real number depends on the size of the urns. NEA also needs you to apply before you add an urn to a niche you already bought.
Is the urn included in the NEA niche fee?
No. NEA’s terms say the fee covers storing the ashes only. The urn, the plaque and any installation are paid for separately.
Do I need an urn if the ashes are scattered?
No. NEA’s inland gardens only accept fine ashes, which are scattered without an urn. The fee for inland scattering is $320.
Can I choose the urn after the cremation?
Yes. The ashes can be collected in a simple container and moved into the final urn later. This gives you time to choose the niche first, then buy an urn that fits it.
Niche and scattering fees above are from the National Environment Agency’s burial, cremation and ash management page (last updated September 2026), and the rules on what the niche fee covers and on removing an urn are from NEA’s niche application terms. Urn prices and private niche sizes are set by each seller and are not published by any authority.
