How much does it cost to die in the Philippines? A look at funeral, burial expenses

Losing a loved one is difficult enough, but many Filipino families must also navigate a series of funeral and burial expenses that can quickly add up. What may begin with the cost of a casket or cremation can eventually include wake-related expenses, cemetery or columbarium fees, interment charges, and other arrangements that are often paid on short notice.

Depending on the services and resting place a family chooses, the total cost can range from thousands to hundreds of thousands of pesos, with some expenses, like grave markers and other burial-related arrangements, coming on top of the initial package price.

Here is a breakdown of some of the costs families may encounter when arranging a funeral and burial, from funeral services and wake expenses to burial and cremation costs.

Funeral costs

Casket and preparation of the remains

One of the first expenses families may need to consider is the funeral home's service package. This can cover the casket, embalming and preparation of the deceased, transportation, and equipment for the wake.

San Fernando Funeral Homes in Quezon City, for instance, offers wooden caskets starting at P65,000 for its basic package.

The package includes the pickup of the deceased from the hospital and transportation to the funeral home, viewing equipment such as lights and carpets, a simple floral arrangement, and documentation assistance. Additional transportation charges may apply depending on the destination.

Viewing

Beyond the casket and preparation of the remains, families may also need to pay for the venue for the wake if they choose not to hold it at home.

Families who opt to hold the wake at a funeral home's chapel must account for the rental fee, which is charged per day.

San Fernando Funeral Homes offers an air-conditioned chapel for P10,000 per day, a chapel with a common comfort room for P18,000 per day, and a larger chapel with a family room for P25,000 per day.

For families who prefer to hold the wake at home, the funeral home offers a package for viewing equipment, although additional charges may apply depending on the location and service requirements.

Wake-related expenses

Aside from the funeral home's service package, families may incur other expenses related to the wake and viewing arrangements.

These may include clothing for the deceased, a framed portrait displayed during the wake, candles, floral arrangements, and other decorative items used at the viewing area.

For wakes held at home, families may also need to rent tents, chairs, tables, electric fans, or other equipment to accommodate visitors. Costs vary depending on the duration of the wake, the number of guests, and the services required.

There is also food, coffee, water, and other refreshments to serve visitors who come to pay their respects to think about.

Depending on their faith, beliefs, and traditions, some families may also arrange religious or memorial services as part of the funeral and burial process.

These may involve voluntary donations, honorariums for religious leaders, the use of a place of worship, music or choir services, and other ceremonial expenses. The cost and requirements vary depending on the family's religious affiliation and the policies of the religious organization involved.

Burial and cremation costs

Cemetery lot

For families choosing traditional burial, purchasing a cemetery lot can be one of the largest expenses.

Prices vary according to the memorial park, location, lot size, available space, and type of property. Some parks offer installment plans, while others have different pricing arrangements for lawn lots, family estates, and other burial spaces.

At Golden Haven in Las Piñas City, memorial lots start at P60,000. The final price depends on the location, size, and features of the lot.

At Heritage Memorial Park on Bayani Road in Taguig City, a regular lawn lot is priced at around P300,000, excluding the contract price with value-added tax (VAT) and facilitation or administrative fees.

The lot measures 2.44 meters by 1 meter and can accommodate up to two full-body vaults through double-depth burial, with space for four sets of bone or ash remains per depth.

Heritage Memorial Park offers payment terms of one, two, or three years.

In some public cemeteries, fees for apartment-type tombs can start at around P1,000, although rates vary by location and local government policies.

These are stacked burial spaces where remains are placed in individual compartments, offering a more affordable alternative to purchasing a private cemetery lot.

However, they may be subject to a limited occupancy period, after which families may need to renew the arrangement or transfer the remains, depending on the cemetery's rules.

Interment fees

Buying a cemetery lot does not automatically cover the cost of the burial itself.

Manila Memorial Park's Sucat branch, for example, charges separately for its lawn lots and interment packages. The latter cover services and equipment used during the burial, with inclusions depending on the selected package.

For a ground burial involving a full body, the park offers a Premier Interment Package priced at P120,000 for regular customers and a Deluxe Interment Package at P100,000.

The Premier package includes six interment crew members, two interment coordinators, five open-type tents, 50 acrylic Tiffany chairs, a mass table, basic floral arrangements, a sound system, a wireless microphone, carpets, and a marble marker for lawn lots, among other items.

The Deluxe package includes five interment crew members, one interment coordinator, three open-type tents, 25 steel Tiffany chairs, a sound system, a wireless microphone, carpets, and a marble marker for lawn lots.

For families arranging a burial for a senior citizen or a person with a disability who qualifies for the applicable discount, the listed prices are P85,714.29 for the Premier package and P71,428.57 for the Deluxe package.

The park also offers separate packages for cremated remains and niche interment, with prices depending on the type of service and resting place.

For instance, the listed rates for interment of cremated remains in a niche are P21,500 for the Premier package and P18,500 for the Deluxe package. For a niche interment package, the rates are P115,000 and P70,000, respectively.

According to Manila Memorial Park, additional expenses depend on the condition and availability of the lot, as well as the services required.

Families should first check whether their existing lot has enough space for another burial. If it is already fully occupied, exhumation may be necessary before another burial can take place.

For burial arrangements, the park requires payment of the interment fee before the arrangements can proceed. Partial payment may be allowed with a 50% down payment, provided the remaining balance is settled one day before the interment.

The park also advises families to prepare the necessary documents, including the deceased's death certificate, burial permit, and authorization from the lot owner, along with valid identification and other documents when required.

Cremation services

Families who choose cremation instead of traditional burial face a different set of costs, which depend on the provider, the type of remains, and whether an urn is included.

Newlife Crematorium and Columbarium Inc. in Caloocan City lists the following rates:

• P23,500 for cremation with an urn for individuals who are not senior citizens
• P18,500 for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs), with an urn
• P14,500 for children aged four to 11, with an urn
• P11,000 for babies aged zero months to three years, without an urn
• P11,500 for bone cremation with an urn
• P16,500 for two sets of bones with urns

Columbarium vaults

Families who choose cremation may also opt to pay for a permanent resting place for the ashes.

At Holy Spirit Church and Columbarium in Taytay, Rizal, prices for columbarium vaults range from P85,800 to P292,100, depending on the section, basement level, and position of the vault.

The facility has different sections with varying amenities and price points.

The River Jordan section, described as an al fresco or premium economy area, has vaults priced from P85,800 to P133,100.

The Nazareth section, an air-conditioned area, has prices ranging from P92,400 to P155,250.

The Cenacle section, which offers chapel vaults, has prices ranging from P149,600 to P240,350 for Basement 1 and P157,300 to P292,100 for Basement 2.

Vaults at eye level generally command higher prices, while other positions are available at lower rates.

The facility offers installment plans of one to three years.

Grave markers or lapida

Families also need to budget for a grave marker, commonly called a lapida, which bears information about the deceased. Prices depend on the size of the marker, the material used, and the type of engraving.

A supplier based in Sta. Cruz, Manila offers computerized marble grave markers for lawn lots at the following prices:

• 12 x 24 x 3 inches: P3,200
• 15 x 24 x 3 inches: P4,200
• 18 x 24 x 3 inches: P4,700
• For columbarium or crypt markers, the listed prices are:
• 20 x 30 centimeters: P1,200
• 30 x 30 centimeters: P1,700

Computerized marble markers are engraved by machine, resulting in more uniform lettering than manual engraving and that the paint used on these markers has a longer lifespan.

Production takes around five to seven working days after the customer approves the layout.

Additional burial-day expenses

Beyond the cemetery lot and interment fees, families may need to prepare for expenses associated with the burial itself.

Transportation is another consideration, although a separate payment for a funeral hearse may not always be necessary. San Fernando Funeral Homes includes hearse services in their funeral packages. Families should check the inclusions of their chosen package, as transportation arrangements and any additional charges may vary by provider and destination.

These may include the hearse or funeral vehicle used to transport the deceased to the cemetery, floral tributes offered during the interment, and transportation arrangements for relatives and mourners.

Some families also provide food and drinks before or after the burial, particularly for relatives and guests who attend the interment.

Depending on local customs, religious practices, and family preferences, these additional expenses can add to the overall cost of funeral and burial arrangements.

Pre-paid memorial plans

Families who want to prepare for funeral expenses in advance may consider pre-paid memorial plans, which allow them to arrange and pay for funeral or cremation services ahead of time.

Prices, payment terms, service inclusions, and insurance coverage vary by provider and plan.

For example, NewLife Memorial Plans lists its Silver Plan, which covers traditional funeral services, at P36,400, payable at P688 per month over five years. The plan includes body retrieval, embalming, cosmetics, a metal casket, funeral flowers, and three-day viewing at an accredited chapel or at home.

Golden Future Life Plans, meanwhile, offers its New Tahanan Plan for P72,000, which includes a seven-day home viewing service, a metal casket, body retrieval, embalming, cosmetics, lighting equipment, and hearse services.

St. Peter Life Plan offers traditional funeral and cremation plans. Its St. George traditional plan has a contract price of P53,000 and includes a wood casket with a split-lid cover and full glass. For cremation, its St. James plan costs P66,000 and includes full cremation service, a marble urn, insurance benefits, and three-day viewing at an accredited mortuary chapel or at home.

For families considering more comprehensive coverage, PhilPlans' Heritage Regular service plan has a contract price of P511,680, inclusive of value-added tax (VAT). Its inclusions cover body retrieval and preparation, embalming, an imported metal casket, a four-day, three-night wake in a regular chapel that accommodates 60 people, and assistance with permits and certificates. The plan also offers discounted one-time payment options, while its listed insurance benefits include credit life, disability benefit, accidental death and disability, and term insurance. —MGP, GMA News