Funeral arrangements

Funeral arrangements in the UAE

Updated 2 November 2026

A basic funeral in the UAE costs from about AED 9,000 to 20,000 without repatriation, and cremation is quoted at about AED 9,000 to 18,000. Permits, transport and documents are often priced as separate lines. For current prices for your situation, send a request on BlaBlaPrice; it is free for buyers, and your contact details stay hidden until you choose whom to contact.

Permits and documents first

Before a burial or cremation permit is granted, an official death certificate issued by UAE authorities must be in place, and the certificate costs AED 65 with service completion in about 24 hours. In Abu Dhabi, the burial or cremation permit is applied for online with UAE PASS, with the application and required documents submitted. A federal law regulates cemeteries and burial across the country. Ask your provider which permits they will handle for you.

Insurance, VAT and what to check in a package

Funeral packages carry 5% VAT, so ask for the total with VAT included before you sign. If the person had health insurance with repatriation cover, the insurer may appoint a funeral director and may pay for bringing the body home, so call the insurer early. Check the transport line in any quote, because repatriation and local transport are priced differently.

Timing in the heat

Summers are very hot from May to September, so the timing of transport and burial needs planning from the first call, and the permit steps should start without delay. The mild winter from November to March gives a calmer period for arranging a farewell, although the permit steps still set the timing.

How funerals are bought here

Providers quote packages, and extras such as transport, flowers and the coffin usually appear as separate lines. Say which emirate the death took place in and where the burial will be, because permits and transport depend on that. Funeral flowers are priced per arrangement, from about AED 129.

What to tell a provider

Start with what you already have: the death certificate, the date, and the city or cemetery you prefer. Then say whether you want burial or cremation, whether transport, a farewell service, a coffin and supplies are needed, and what budget you have in AED. A clear list lets each provider quote the same things, so the offers are comparable.

Get offers through BlaBlaPrice: describe what you need in your own words in the chat. The AI reads the request, asks for missing details, and looks through funeral providers' websites and price lists in the UAE, then shows the prices and businesses it found. Registered sellers reply in the chat with their own price and terms, and your contacts stay hidden until you decide to share them. For related help, see funeral services or headstones and memorials, or create a request.