We analyzed the tuition data of all 882 international schools across 18 cities. Here is what international education costs in 2026 — ranked from most affordable to most expensive by median fee.
Figures are approximate USD equivalents of local-currency tuition, converted at indicative rates. "Median" is the median starting annual tuition across every school in the city. Where a city's per-school fees are not yet individually verified, our database uses market-level estimates — cities marked with * carry that caveat, and those numbers should be read as indicative.
18 cities ranked by median international school tuition (2026)
| # | City | Schools | Median start | Full range (USD/yr) | Under $10K | Under $15K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chiang Mai* | 36 | $2,200 | $2,200 – $8,400 | 36 | 36 |
| 2 | Berlin* | 43 | $3,300 | $2,200 – $19,900 | 42 | 43 |
| 3 | Penang* | 41 | $3,300 | $2,300 – $23,200 | 37 | 41 |
| 4 | Phuket* | 37 | $3,400 | $3,400 – $12,600 | 37 | 37 |
| 5 | Amsterdam* | 47 | $4,400 | $2,200 – $34,300 | 46 | 46 |
| 6 | Kuala Lumpur* | 47 | $5,500 | $5,500 – $15,400 | 47 | 47 |
| 7 | Mumbai* | 55 | $7,200 | $3,600 – $33,000 | 52 | 54 |
| 8 | Bangkok | 71 | $9,000 | $5,600 – $33,800 | 37 | 59 |
| 9 | Sydney* | 53 | $9,900 | $9,800 – $36,300 | 34 | 34 |
| 10 | Hong Kong* | 56 | $10,200 | $10,200 – $48,600 | 0 | 37 |
| 11 | Seoul* | 34 | $11,200 | $7,900 – $30,000 | 1 | 25 |
| 12 | Tokyo | 50 | $11,400 | $2,700 – $30,200 | 22 | 48 |
| 13 | Dubai* | 69 | $12,300 | $3,700 – $28,200 | 24 | 69 |
| 14 | Shanghai* | 22 | $14,000 | $14,000 – $39,200 | 0 | 19 |
| 15 | Vancouver* | 57 | $14,800 | $8,900 – $23,700 | 22 | 55 |
| 16 | Singapore* | 61 | $18,600 | $11,900 – $28,300 | 0 | 25 |
| 17 | New York* | 42 | $20,000 | $20,000 – $50,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | London* | 61 | $22,900 | $9,000 – $85,100 | 1 | 1 |
The headline findings
How to read this when planning a move
School fees are usually the largest single line in an expatriate family budget, and they vary more by city choice than by almost any other decision. Before committing to a city, browse every school profile — start with the city guides in the table above, each with filters for curriculum, age range and budget.
Methodology
Figures come from the SchoolZio database of 882 international schools across 18 cities, compiled in October 2026. For most Southeast Asian hubs, per-school fees are taken from school-published fee schedules; for several other cities (marked above), ranges are currently market-level estimates pending per-school verification — we are verifying city by city and update profiles continuously. Percentages refer to the share of schools whose lowest* annual fee falls under each threshold. Always confirm fees directly with the school.
City-level deep dives with the 5 most affordable and 5 premium schools are linked from each city guide.