In a survey last year on the cost of funerals, Consumer Choice Magazine wrote that the price of a typically modest funeral could vary from £767 to £1,475, depending on location (Dublin being the most expensive place to die and be buried.)
Only 19 of the 67 funeral directors surveyed agreed to provide prices - not a single one in Galway responded - and the magazine warned that features should be itemised and costs discussed thoroughly before allowing any arrangements to be made.
The wide disparity in charges between Dublin and Cork and more rural areas was partly influenced, according to the magazine "by the cost of graves and opening fees". But local prices for the coffin, hearse and administration could also vary considerably between funeral directors in the same area, making price comparisons especially worthwhile. One way to reduce the overall cost of a funeral is to choose cremation over burial since "the cost of the grave, headstone, kerbing and maintenance fees are avoided. Coffins must be made of combustible materials only and tend to be cheaper than coffins used for burial" stated Consumer Choice. A cremation (which can only take place at the national crematorium at Glasnevin Cemetery) will cost about £200 (including the urn for the ashes). There is an extra charge in excess of £100 if it is decided to bury the ashes.
