The Economics of Dead-Space Rent

I don't know if this is true in the US, but here are some interesting stats from a French newspaper called Le Figaro about rent for your resting place "for eternity" (or at least that's what they call it; in fact, you have to keep renewing something).


[Thanks to WhytraveltoFrance.com for this neat photo. In fact, take a gander at his fun website.]

In Paris, average per square foot cost for cemetery space: 5,455 euros

Average cost above ground: 5,675

You could go for the cheaper 50-year version in Paris at 1,720 euros. Or how about 10 years for 343 euros. (I wonder what they do with you after that.)

In the south of France, the situation is similar--no, it's a little different:

In the city of Nice: Perpetuity will cost you 5,716 euros.
Living real estate is at 3,300 euros.

Hm. Wonder what that says about the death rate there.

In Marseille, 2.80 square meters will cost you 5,107 euros (1,824 per square meter). Or you could opt for 9.7 square meters for 36,187 euros in a central aisle.

And you'd better hurry, because at $1.45 per euro, the price is going up every minute. That 9.7 square meter spot is already at $52,471.15 and rising.

Now, I'm sure there's some economic principle to be squeezed out of these facts.