Buddhist funerals in New Zealand: arranging one, what it costs and who to ask

Written by Henry Smith · Reviewed by Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931) · Updated 2026-10-20 · Reviewed annually, or sooner if the rules it describes change.

Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a trading name.

There is no single Buddhist funeral in New Zealand. The practices a family follows depend on its tradition, its temple or teacher and its own wishes. The New Zealand Buddhist Council was formed in 2007 at a meeting of fourteen Buddhist groups and aims to "develop understanding of our diverse Buddhist communities in Aotearoa" (NZ Buddhist Council). Ask the family's own community first.

This is a practical guide, and it is limited on purpose. We could not find a New Zealand Buddhist organisation, council or funeral director that publishes a funeral protocol we could cite, and the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand (FDANZ) pages we read mention none. So we do not set out chanting, altar arrangements, offerings or memorial timetables, and we do not repeat figures such as days or weeks of observance that cannot be tied to a named source. Those details differ between Theravada, Mahayana and Tibetan traditions and between families. What follows is what any New Zealand family arranging a Buddhist funeral can check.

Who decides and who to ask first

Arrangements are the executor's call, or the closest relative's if there is no executor, and Community Law says whānau views and cultural, religious and spiritual practice are to be taken into account (Community Law: funerals and tangihanga). In practice:

1. Contact the temple, monk, nun or teacher the person or family follows, before settling a date. Ask what they can do, where, and what they need from the funeral director.
2. Then talk to a funeral director and say plainly what the service will involve: people who will chant or lead, objects on an altar, incense, flowers or food. Ask what the venue allows.
3. Ask whether the director has arranged similar services, and ask for an itemised written price. FDANZ says religious belief decides the timing for some people, so tell the director about any timing needs early (FDANZ: funeral and farewell choices).

The New Zealand Buddhist Council lists Buddhist chaplains, who "may accompany people and their whānau through difficult times" at home or in places such as hospitals, hospices and nursing homes. The programme says it is "not a professional-level training", and chaplains are contacted individually (NZ Buddhist chaplains). They are a source of support, and we have not established whether any of them conduct funerals.

Burial or cremation

Both are legal. In 2025, 69% of New Zealand funerals in the FDANZ survey ended in cremation and 25% in burial, across all communities (FDANZ, 2026 report). We have no New Zealand source on what Buddhist families choose. A cremation needs the cause-of-death certificate or coroner's order, a signed application and a doctor's certificate, plus a medical referee's permission (Health NZ: Cremation). The director normally handles this. For the options and fees see burial vs cremation and the direct cremation cost page.

Incense, candles, fire and offerings

Check this before the day. Rules belong to the venue or council and differ between them. We found one published example, Christchurch City Council's cemeteries handbook (undated): it says "No ceremonial fires are permitted", that food items and floral tributes may be placed on a plot but must be removed or relocated after ten days, and that scattering ashes is not permitted in any council cemetery. It also says the council "provides for the requirements of different religions and cultures" and asks you to contact its cemeteries team (Christchurch City Council: cemeteries handbook). We did not find equivalent rules for other councils or for crematorium chapels. Ask the crematorium or venue about incense, candles and any items to be placed with the person. Auckland Council says a casket or shroud must be all combustible and lists batteries, pacemakers, glass and PVC as prohibited items (Auckland Council: how cremation works).

What it costs

No New Zealand source we found publishes Buddhist funeral prices, so we give none. Whatever tradition shapes a funeral, the same components are priced. FDANZ's indicative ranges (as at July 2025) include a professional services fee of $3,000 to $6,500, a cremation fee of $600 to $1,100, chapel hire of $200 to $500, a celebrant or clergy fee of $300 to $900 and flowers of $200 to $500 (FDANZ: funeral costs and financial support). If a temple or monks are involved, ask the temple about any costs; we found no published figure. Our funeral costs hub has the full breakdown, including the survey averages.

Help with paying

The Work and Income Funeral Grant is up to $2,697.43 and is tested on income (for a partner or child) and assets. Its list of reasonable expenses includes the funeral director's fees, cremation, flowers and a celebrant or clergy, and the policy guidance also lists cultural, spiritual or religious practices (Work and Income: Funeral Grant; reasonable expenses). Whether a particular offering or ceremony is covered is for Work and Income to decide, so ask before you spend. See the Funeral Grant guide.

Time off work

Bereavement leave is 3 days for the death of a spouse or partner, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild or a spouse's or partner's parent, and 1 day for others if the employer accepts the employee has suffered a bereavement. The employer must consider "any cultural responsibilities of the employee in relation to the death" (Holidays Act 2003, s69). See bereavement leave.

Planning ahead

If you want your own wishes followed, write them down, name who you want to lead the service and tell your executor. Our preplanning guide has a checklist. Other communities' guides are listed under cultural funeral customs. For grief support see grief support in NZ.

For a family planning its own farewell, funeral insurance is one way to set a fixed sum aside; it does not pay for the funeral itself. Momentum Life's Funeral Insurance, issued by Momentum Life Limited, accepts New Zealanders aged 40 to 75 with no health questions and pays a benefit of $3,000 to $30,000. For the first 24 months, only an accidental death (within 90 days of the accident) is paid. Any other death in that period pays no benefit and the premiums are refunded. Total premiums can end up larger than the benefit, and the benefit may not cover the whole funeral. A.M. Best rates Momentum Life B (Fair); see its financial strength page. The buttons on this page open Momentum Life's online application. QuoteHub is a Momentum Life partner and Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver may receive a commission if you buy a Momentum policy (how we are paid). Advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). See the funeral insurance hub.

Talk to a licensed adviser about funeral cover · free, no obligation.

Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). Buddhist Funerals NZ: Arranging, Costs, Where to Ask. www.quotehub.co.nz/guides/when-someone-dies/buddhist-funerals-nz. Updated 2026-10-20.

References

• NZ Buddhist Council
• NZ Buddhist Council: New Zealand Buddhist chaplains
• Community Law: Funerals and tangihanga
• FDANZ: Funeral and farewell choices
• FDANZ: 2026 New Zealand Funeral Industry Trends Report (PDF)
• FDANZ: Funeral costs and financial support
• Health NZ: Cremation
• Christchurch City Council: Cemeteries handbook
• Auckland Council: How cremation works
• Work and Income: Funeral Grant
• Work and Income: Funeral Grant, essential funeral expenses
• Holidays Act 2003
• Momentum Life: Financial Strength

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