In Mexico, there are around 90 crematoria, of which 13 are located in Mexico City. Unlike burials, Mexican families consider cremations as an alternative since it allows them to freely dispose of the ashes of the deceased.
According to the Federal Consumer Prosecutor's Office (Profeco), the average cost of cremation services in Mexico is approximately 14,714 pesos. A study estimates that around 20 percent of deceased persons in the country are cremated. It is important to mention that in the cremation process, devices such as pacemakers or valves must be removed beforehand to avoid incidents.
To perform the cremation of a deceased person, several documents are needed, such as the medical death certificate and the burial or cremation permit, which are processed at the Civil Registry or with local authorities. Funeral homes often offer special caskets for cremation, made mainly of wood or corrugated cardboard.
Profeco indicates that the prices of cremation services vary in different regions of the country, with Colima being the city with the lowest cost and Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, the highest. In the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City, the average cost of basic services is around 10,000 pesos.
During the cremation process, the deceased's body is subjected to temperatures between 700 and 1,200 degrees Celsius in a specialized oven and only in the presence of authorized personnel. Subsequently, the ashes are cooled and placed in a funeral urn. Cremations have experienced an increase in Mexico in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
