Cost of international schools around the world in 2019
Last Updated on 20 January 2024
International schools in Asia have seen some of the biggest increases in school fees, with China retaining the top spot as the most expensive location in the world. In fact, Beijing and Shanghai are ranked first and second respectively, according to data from the International Schools Database.
In Beijing alone, there is over US$33,000 in the difference between the cheapest and most expensive schools. Shanghai has an even wider range of US$4,830 to US$38,853, giving it the advantage of catering to parents on a wide spectrum of income level.
Elsewhere in Asia, only one Asian city (Cambodia’s Phnom Penh) costs less than US$2,000 per year.
You may also check out the breakdown of fees for international schools in Singapore in this post.
Switzerland is China’s closest rival at the expensive end of the scale. Zurich takes the top spot in Europe and third in the world with prices ranging from US$8,052 to US$31,406 per year.
| Rank | City | Minimum | Median | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beijing | $8,097 | $31,253 | $41,389 |
| 2 | Shanghai | $4,830 | $30,046 | $38,853 |
| 3 | Zurich | $8,052 | $25,630 | $31,406 |
| 4 | Shenzhen | $11,365 | $24,577 | $31,679 |
| 5 | Lausanne – Vaud | $14,840 | $24,296 | $35,296 |
| 6 | Geneva | $14,840 | $23,414 | $28,006 |
| 7 | Toronto | $12,489 | $21,979 | $25,283 |
| 8 | Seoul | $8,008 | $21,475 | $30,887 |
| 9 | Singapore | $4,406 | $20,910 | $37,859 |
| 10 | Guangzhou | $11,231 | $20,741 | $29,818 |
| 11 | Tokyo | $5,615 | $18,101 | $25,773 |
| 12 | Vienna | $5,688 | $17,344 | $21,613 |
| 13 | Brussels | $6,806 | $17,195 | $36,330 |
| 14 | Hanoi | $4,905 | $17,171 | $27,340 |
| 15 | Hong Kong | $10,543 | $16,207 | $31,424 |
| 16 | Ho Chi Minh City | $4,560 | $15,662 | $24,836 |
| 17 | Yangon | $7,010 | $15,500 | $28,000 |
| 18 | Bangkok | $2,516 | $14,336 | $31,125 |
| 19 | Taipei | $5,560 | $13,487 | $26,148 |
| 20 | Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe | $4,878 | $13,172 | $48,575 |
| 21 | Milan | $3,307 | $13,117 | $19,400 |
| 22 | Frankfurt am Main | $4,144 | $12,857 | $22,475 |
| 23 | Rome | $6,462 | $11,618 | $19,014 |
| 24 | Budapest | $4,314 | $11,559 | $23,100 |
| 25 | Jakarta | $2,339 | $11,466 | $30,075 |
| 26 | Dubai | $2,317 | $11,402 | $25,885 |
| 27 | São Paulo | $7,118 | $11,331 | $31,693 |
| 28 | Paris | $2,544 | $10,711 | $33,508 |
| 29 | Berlin | $2,568 | $10,471 | $16,203 |
| 30 | San Jose | $4,449 | $10,410 | $18,203 |
| 31 | Manila | $2,347 | $9,901 | $20,278 |
| 32 | Doha | $1,250 | $9,888 | $20,786 |
| 33 | Barcelona | $4,508 | $9,878 | $18,301 |
| 34 | Lisbon | $4,503 | $9,810 | $13,447 |
| 35 | Bucharest | $4,078 | $9,697 | $21,880 |
| 36 | Prague | $5,835 | $9,249 | $22,100 |
| 37 | Sofia | $5,010 | $9,149 | $21,136 |
| 38 | Lima | $5,073 | $8,767 | $16,830 |
| 39 | Madrid | $4,100 | $8,763 | $15,095 |
| 40 | Phuket | $5,563 | $8,515 | $20,397 |
| 41 | Kuwait City | $1,241 | $8,502 | $17,284 |
| 42 | Abu Dhabi | $2,532 | $8,414 | $20,421 |
| 43 | Warsaw | $4,103 | $7,694 | $21,730 |
| 44 | Nairobi | $2,687 | $7,222 | $28,479 |
| 45 | Malaga – Costa del Sol | $2,621 | $6,663 | $10,471 |
| 46 | Amsterdam | $3,764 | $6,117 | $26,234 |
| 47 | Riyadh | $1,675 | $6,000 | $22,696 |
| 48 | Cairo | $3,433 | $5,970 | $24,850 |
| 49 | Kuala Lumpur | $2,446 | $5,898 | $22,273 |
| 50 | Manama | $1,003 | $5,426 | $20,424 |
Source: International Schools Database (www.international-schools-database.com). All prices in US$. You can sort the table by clicking on the up/down arrow.
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