Choosing Between Burial and Cremation — A Practical Comparison

Last updated July 5, 2026 · 4 min read
Quick answer
The choice between burial and cremation involves cost ($5,000-15,000+ difference), religious and cultural considerations, environmental impact, and personal/family preference. Cremation is now the majority choice in Canada (approximately 75% nationally) — drivers include lower cost, simpler logistics, urban land scarcity, and changing religious attitudes. Burial may be preferred for — religious requirement (Orthodox Jewish, traditional Muslim, some Hindu exceptions, some Christian traditions), family tradition, presence of family plot, specific personal preference. Cremation may be preferred for — lower cost, simpler logistics, flexibility on memorial timing, environmental considerations, scattering at meaningful location.

For Canadian families considering burial or cremation, the decision involves cost, religious considerations, environmental impact, and family preferences. Cremation is now the majority choice nationally; both remain widely available.

Cost comparison

Traditional burial: $12,000-25,000+ typical

  • Casket
  • Embalming
  • Vault
  • Cemetery plot
  • Opening/closing
  • Monument
  • Service

Cremation with traditional service: $5,000-12,000 typical

  • Funeral service
  • Casket or rental
  • Cremation
  • Urn
  • Optional niche or burial of remains

Direct cremation: $1,500-3,500 typical

  • Cremation only
  • Basic container
  • No service
  • Family arranges memorial separately if desired

Difference: Often $5,000-15,000+ between traditional burial and cremation options.

Religious and cultural considerations

Require burial:

  • Orthodox Judaism
  • Traditional Islam
  • Some Christian Orthodox traditions

Generally prefer burial, allow cremation:

  • Catholic Church (since 1963 cremation permitted; burial preferred; cremated remains should be interred, not kept at home or scattered)
  • Anglican, United Church, most Protestant denominations

Cremation typical or required:

  • Hindu (cremation traditional and standard)
  • Sikh (cremation traditional and standard)
  • Buddhist (cremation typical in most traditions)

Cremation accepted equally with burial:

  • Reform Judaism
  • Conservative Judaism (varies by rabbi)
  • Most modern Protestant denominations
  • Secular/non-religious

Consideration: Religious community and family expectations may influence choice. Specific religious leader can address particular questions.

Environmental impact

Burial impacts:

  • Land use (especially in urban areas)
  • Embalming chemicals (formaldehyde — a known carcinogen — and methanol; environmental concerns)
  • Concrete or metal vaults
  • Hardwood or metal caskets
  • Cemetery water and maintenance over decades
  • A conventional burial also consumes casket materials (hardwood or metal) and, where the body is embalmed, formaldehyde-based fluid — exact quantities vary by casket and provider

Cremation impacts:

  • High-temperature fossil fuel use (natural gas or propane)
  • Carbon dioxide emissions — published per-cremation estimates vary widely, commonly cited around 150-250 kg
  • Mercury emissions from dental amalgam fillings (regulated but still emitted)
  • Particulate matter from incomplete combustion

Lower-impact alternatives:

  • Green burial — no embalming, biodegradable casket or shroud, no vault, native plant restoration. Some Canadian cemeteries offer (Royal Oak Burial Park BC pioneered).
  • Tree pod burial (biodegradable urns with trees planted) — combines cremation with environmental return.

Personal and family preferences

Burial considerations:

  • Family plot exists (continuity)
  • Specific cemetery has meaning
  • Physical site for visiting
  • Religious obligation
  • Personal preference for traditional approach
  • Closure for family with burial ceremony

Cremation considerations:

  • Lower cost
  • More flexibility on memorial timing
  • Scattering at meaningful location
  • Keeping family member close (urn at home)
  • Sharing remains (multiple family members can have portion)
  • Mobility (urn can move with family)
  • Specific personal preference

Logistical practicality

Burial:

  • Requires cemetery selection and plot purchase/allocation
  • Timing more constrained (burial typically within 1-2 weeks)
  • Service typically at funeral home or church then cemetery
  • Limited flexibility once decided
  • Family travel constrained to service date

Cremation:

  • No immediate cemetery requirement
  • Can hold memorial service weeks or months later
  • Greater scheduling flexibility for family travel
  • Less time pressure overall
  • Remains can be addressed later (niche, burial, scattering)

Cremation rate trends:

  • 1970s: 5-10%
  • 1990s: 30-40%
  • 2000s: 50-60%
  • 2010s: 65-70%
  • 2020s: 70-75%+

Driven by — cost, simplicity, religious changes (Catholic permission, Reform Jewish acceptance, secular increase), urban land scarcity, environmental considerations.

Cremation rates by province (approximate):

  • BC: 80%+
  • Atlantic: 70-75%
  • Prairies: 70-75%
  • Ontario: 65-70%

Hybrid approaches

Some families combine:

  • Burial of cremated remains: Cremation, then urn buried in cemetery (family plot, dedicated niche)
  • Partial scattering: Some ashes kept; some scattered; some interred
  • Multiple memorials: Service in one location for community; private interment elsewhere

Practical decision factors

Choose burial if:

  • Religious requirement
  • Strong family tradition
  • Family plot available
  • Want physical site for family visits
  • Cost is not primary consideration

Choose cremation if:

  • Lower cost important
  • Want flexibility on memorial timing
  • Specific scattering location preferred
  • Religious tradition allows or requires
  • Environmental considerations
  • Want family member close (urn at home)

Hybrid (cremation with cemetery placement):

  • Religious flexibility
  • Cost moderate
  • Want both cost savings and physical site

What we focus on at It's Simple Will

The Funeral Pre-Planner captures your preference — burial, cremation, hybrid — and the specific details (cemetery, scattering location, type of service, religious requirements).

Citations & sources

  1. [1]Cremation Association of North America — Cremation Association of North America
  2. [2]Funeral Service Association of Canada — Funeral Service Association of Canada

Frequently asked questions

What's the cost difference?

Significant. Traditional burial with all elements typically $12,000-25,000+. Cremation with traditional service typically $5,000-12,000. Direct cremation $1,500-3,500. Difference often $5,000-15,000+. Drives many practical decisions.

What religions require burial vs allow cremation?

Require burial — Orthodox Jewish, traditional Muslim, some Christian Orthodox. Generally prefer burial but allow cremation — Catholic (since 1963). Cremation typical or required — Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist (most). Either acceptable — most Protestant denominations, Reform Jewish, secular.

What's the environmental impact?

Both have environmental impacts. Burial — uses land, embalming chemicals, concrete vaults, casket materials, cemetery maintenance (water, mowing). Cremation — uses fossil fuels for high temperature, releases carbon dioxide (published estimates for a single cremation vary widely, commonly cited in the range of roughly 150-250 kg CO2), and can release trace mercury from dental amalgam fillings. Green burial (no embalming, biodegradable casket or shroud, no vault) has lower impact; alkaline hydrolysis (water cremation) can reduce cremation impact but has limited availability in Canada.

What about cemetery plot for cremation?

Options — niche in columbarium ($1,500-5,000), burial of urn in cemetery plot ($3,000-8,000), placement in family plot alongside burial of family member (varies), scattering at sea or in meaningful location (often free or low cost), keeping at home (no cost).

Can the family change mind after?

Generally yes before service. Once burial happens, exhumation is rare and expensive. Once cremation happens, it's irreversible. Pre-decision (before service) family discussion is best.

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