Kathrine Frich
Funeral expenses are climbing in Russia, with cremation services seeing sharp increases at the start of the year.
New figures suggest that even end-of-life arrangements are being affected by broader economic pressures.
Prices Climb
Cremation fees have surged since January, with the average price now around $590, The Moscow Times reported on February 17, citing the Baza Telegram channel.
Operators attributed the jump to higher utility tariffs. Electricity for businesses has increased by 8% to 12%, while gas for household and municipal needs has risen by 7% to 10%.
Industry representatives also pointed to difficulties sourcing spare parts for imported furnaces and rising costs tied to mandatory gas-cleaning systems as demand grows.
Moscow Hit Hardest
The steepest increases were recorded in Moscow and the surrounding region, where prices climbed by about $260 to roughly $590.
At the Nikolo-Arkhangelsk crematorium in Balashikha, a standard package that includes the service and an urn now costs between $1,050 and $1,110.
In autumn 2025, the same package ranged from about $590 to $650, according to The Moscow Times.
Cremation remains the most common burial option in Russia, with 60% of clients choosing it over the past two years, the outlet reported.
Broader Funeral Costs
Official statistics cited by The Moscow Times show that since early 2022, coffin production costs have risen 84%, while grave-digging costs have increased by 51%.
Data from Taxcom put the average price of a traditional funeral at about $400 in the first half of 2025, while cremation averaged roughly $240 during the same period.
The price hikes come as Russia’s economy shows signs of slowing. Consumer confidence fell to a three-year low in January, and official estimates placed economic growth for 2025 at around 1%.
Earlier reports noted that St. Petersburg’s only crematorium handled nearly 42,000 cremations in 2023 and is expanding capacity to as many as 240 per day amid rising demand.
Sources: The Moscow Times, United24media.
