How to Compare Funeral Quotes in Spain

If you have received two funeral quotes in Spain and one is substantially more expensive than the other, don’t compare the final prices first.

Start by checking whether you are actually being quoted for the same funeral.

One quotation may include a velatorio, preparation of the deceased, flowers, a ceremony and additional transport. Another may cover a simpler cremation without those services.

Both prices may be perfectly reasonable — but they are not directly comparable.

The best way to compare funeral quotes is to understand what is included, what is optional and what additional costs could arise later.

Start with the funeral your family actually wants

Before comparing providers, try to establish what matters to your family.

You don’t need to plan every detail immediately.

Start with the bigger decisions:

• Cremation or burial?
• Do you want to see the deceased?
• Would you like a traditional velatorio?
• Do you want a church, chapel or civil ceremony?
• Would you prefer a smaller private family farewell?
• Do you want flowers?
• Will the ashes remain in Spain or be taken to another country?
• Is repatriation being considered?

Once you know roughly what type of farewell you want, comparing prices becomes considerably easier.

Otherwise, you may find yourself comparing a simple cremation quotation with a traditional funeral package and wondering why there is such a large difference.

Ask for a clear written quotation

Where possible, ask for the funeral arrangements and price in writing.

This gives you time to read the quotation carefully rather than trying to remember everything discussed during a telephone call.

A clear quotation should make it reasonably easy to identify:

• The services being provided
• What those services cost
• What is included in the total
• What is not included
• Any costs that cannot yet be confirmed
• Whether IVA (VAT) is included

If something isn’t clear, ask.

Funeral terminology can be unfamiliar even in your own country. When arranging a funeral in Spain, international families may also encounter Spanish terms and practices they have never seen before.

You should not feel uncomfortable asking what something means.

Compare like-for-like

This is the most important principle.

Imagine you receive:

Quote A: €1,800

and

Quote B: €3,500

At first glance, Quote A appears dramatically cheaper.

But suppose Quote A covers a simple cremation, while Quote B includes:

• A velatorio
• Preparation for viewing
• Flowers
• A funeral-home chapel
• A religious ceremony
• Additional funeral transport

The €1,700 difference now has some explanation.

That doesn’t mean Quote B is better value.

It doesn’t mean Quote A is better value either.

The real question is:

Which of those services does your family actually want?

Only then can you make a meaningful comparison.

Check the collection and transport arrangements

Collection of the deceased is normally one of the first services required.

Check whether the quotation includes:

• Collection from the hospital, home, care facility or other location
• Transfer to the funeral facility
• Any distance limits
• Additional transfers between facilities
• Transport to the crematorium or cemetery
• Any potential additional transport charges

Location can make a difference, particularly where the deceased needs to be transported some distance to the appropriate funeral facility, crematorium or cemetery.

Check what coffin is included

The coffin can make a significant difference to the cost of a funeral.

Ask what type is included in the quotation and whether an upgrade has been assumed.

For cremation, a simple suitable coffin may be all that the family requires.

For a traditional funeral or viewing, families may choose a different style.

Again, neither choice is inherently better.

The important thing is knowing what you are being quoted for.

Is a velatorio included?

A velatorio is common in traditional Spanish funerals and provides a private space where family and friends can gather before the funeral.

Some funeral packages include this automatically.

Others do not.

If a velatorio appears in the quotation, ask:

• Where will it take place?
• How long is the room available?
• Is preparation of the deceased included?
• Is the quotation based on an open-casket viewing?
• Are flowers or other services included?

For families who want a traditional viewing, this may be an important part of the funeral.

But it is not something every family requires.

If you would prefer a ceremony without a viewing, ask whether alternatives are available.

For example, a chapel or church service with a closed coffin may provide the farewell your family wants without requiring all of the services associated with a traditional open-casket velatorio.

Check preparation and viewing costs

If the family wishes to see the deceased, appropriate preparation will normally be required.

The services involved depend on the circumstances and type of viewing.

Ask whether preparation is included in the quotation and what exactly is being provided.

If you do not want an open-casket viewing, tell the funeral provider.

That may change the services required and therefore the cost.

Check the cremation fee

If cremation has been chosen, confirm that the crematorium fee is included.

You should also check:

• Whether the coffin is included
• Whether the urn is included
• Where the cremation will take place
• How the ashes will be returned
• Whether delivery or collection of the ashes is included

International families should also think about what will happen to the ashes afterwards.

If you intend to take or send the ashes to another country, additional documentation or transport arrangements may sometimes be required.

Check cemetery costs carefully

Burial quotations can be more difficult to compare because cemetery costs vary considerably.

Ask whether the quotation includes:

• Cemetery fees
• A niche, grave or other burial space
• Opening and closing costs
• The period of the cemetery concession
• Any municipal charges
• Memorial or inscription costs

Do not assume that “burial included” necessarily means every cemetery-related expense is included.

If your family already has rights to a niche, grave or family burial space, tell the provider, as this may materially change the cost.

Check the ceremony

If you want a funeral ceremony, establish exactly what has been included.

That might involve:

• Church
• Funeral-home chapel
• Crematorium chapel
• Priest or other religious representative
• Civil celebrant
• Music
• Additional funeral transport

A ceremony does not necessarily require a traditional velatorio.

This is particularly useful for families who want to gather and say goodbye but do not want an open-casket viewing or a full traditional funeral package.

Check flowers and other optional services

Flowers are frequently included in traditional funeral packages.

For some families they are an important part of the funeral.

Others may prefer something simple or no flowers at all.

The same principle applies to other optional elements.

Ask yourself:

Would we choose this service if it wasn’t already included in the package?

If the answer is no, ask whether it can be removed or replaced.

Check documentation and administration

A funeral involves more than collection, cremation or burial.

There will also be administrative requirements surrounding the death and funeral.

Check what assistance with documentation is included.

Depending on the circumstances, this may involve matters such as:

• Funeral authorisation
• Registration-related administration
• Cremation documentation
• Death certificates
• Additional certificates
• International documentation
• Translation or legalisation requirements

Not every case requires the same paperwork.

This becomes particularly important when the deceased is a foreign national or documents will later be used outside Spain.

Is IVA included?

This is a very simple question, but an important one.

When comparing quotations, establish whether IVA (VAT) is already included in the total.

A price that initially appears cheaper may not remain cheaper if taxes or other mandatory costs are added later.

Ask what could change the final price

Even a good funeral quotation may contain costs that cannot be known immediately.

Ask the provider:

“Under what circumstances could the final price increase?”

That question can be extremely useful.

Possible variables might include:

• Additional transport
• A change in funeral arrangements
• Additional documentation
• Cemetery charges
• Services requested later by the family
• International transport or repatriation costs

Not every additional charge is avoidable or unreasonable.

The important thing is that the family understands where uncertainty exists.

Don’t assume a package is compulsory

Some providers offer comprehensive funeral packages because they are convenient and suit many families very well.

But if there are services in the package that you don’t want, ask whether there are alternatives.

For example, your family might want a cremation and religious service but not a traditional velatorio.

Or you might want a private farewell but no flowers.

Or you may prefer direct cremation and arrange your own memorial later.

At Funecon, we start with what the family wants and build the arrangements around those choices.

We don’t believe every family should have exactly the same funeral.

Cheapest doesn’t always mean best value

Price matters.

For many families it matters enormously.

But the cheapest quotation isn’t automatically the best choice.

A very low quotation may simply contain fewer services.

Equally, a more expensive funeral isn’t automatically better.

It may contain services your family does not particularly value.

Good value means understanding what you’re paying for and being comfortable that those services are right for your family.

A simple funeral quote checklist

Before choosing a provider, make sure you can answer these questions:

• What type of funeral are we arranging?
• What is the total price?
• Is IVA included?
• What exactly is included?
• What isn’t included?
• Is collection included?
• Are transport costs included?
• What coffin is included?
• Is a velatorio included?
• Is preparation for viewing included?
• Is a ceremony included?
• Are flowers included?
• Is the cremation fee included?
• If burial is chosen, are cemetery costs included?
• Is the urn included?
• What documentation is included?
• Could anything increase the final price?
• Which services are optional?

If you can answer those questions for each quotation, comparing them becomes much easier.

What if I don’t understand a funeral quote?

Ask.

You are making an important decision, often at an extremely difficult time. You are entitled to understand what you are agreeing to.

If a term is unfamiliar, ask what it means.

If a service doesn’t seem relevant, ask why it has been included.

If a potential additional charge isn’t clear, ask when it would apply.

A good provider should be comfortable explaining their quotation.

Already have a quotation and want to understand it?

If you’ve received a funeral quotation in Spain and aren’t sure what is included, you can talk it through with us.

You can tell us what your family wants and what you’ve been quoted for, and we’ll help you understand the different elements and the questions you may want to ask.

You don’t need to have decided to use Funecon before speaking with us.

Sometimes a short conversation is enough to make the options much clearer.

Talk to Funecon by WhatsApp or phone.

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Related Funecon guides

You may also find these guides useful:

• Funeral Costs in Spain — understand typical funeral costs and why prices vary.
• Burial & Cremation Costs in Spain — compare typical costs and the different options available.
• Understanding Funeral Packages in Spain — understand what funeral packages contain and which services you can choose.
• Direct Cremation in Spain — how simple cremation works and what is normally included.
• Repatriation from Spain — understand the process and costs of returning someone to another country.
• Who Can Authorise a Funeral in Spain? — understand who can make funeral arrangements following a death.