Crypt-flation: the rising costs of graves and mausoleums in Melbourne

Experts say burial fees in Melbourne have been affected by rising labour and construction costs. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Melburnians planning to bury a loved one in the city’s cemeteries are facing steep price hikes, with some grand memorial options surging up to 400% over the past decade.

Cemeteries across Australia, particularly in the inner city, are nearing capacity and those vying for a burial plot must fork out for prized pieces of real estate due to rising labour and construction costs.