WhereNext Open Data
International School Costs by City 2026
The world's only open dataset of international school costs with hidden fee analysis. WhereNext tracks 2,115 schools across 152 cities in 70 countries. Below is what families actually pay — not just the headline tuition.
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@misc{wherenext2026whatinternationalschool,
author = {WhereNext Research Team},
title = {What International School Really Costs 2026},
year = {2026},
url = {https://getwherenext.com/data/school-costs-by-city},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13}
}[What International School Really Costs 2026](https://getwherenext.com/data/school-costs-by-city). WhereNext Research Team, 2026. Accessed 2026-10-13.
WhereNext Research Team. (2026). What International School Really Costs 2026. WhereNext. https://getwherenext.com/data/school-costs-by-city (accessed 2026-10-13)
All WhereNext datasets are published as CC BY 4.0 open data — you are free to cite, quote, and republish with attribution.
Press headline · permalink
Hidden fees add about 15% on top of stated tuition globally — and 20–28% in Gulf cities like Dubai, Doha, Manama — according to WhereNext's true-cost analysis of 4,149 international schools (2,113 with fee detail)
Copy with attribution: “Hidden fees add about 15% on top of stated tuition globally — and 20–28% in Gulf cities like Dubai, Doha, Manama — according to WhereNext's true-cost analysis of 4,149 international schools (2,113 with fee detail)” — WhereNext, as of 2026-09-28
Quick answer
Key facts
- Global median true cost: $13,460/yr ~13% above the median stated tuition of $11,764.
- Most expensive: Swiss Alps $73,445/yr median true annual cost.
- Most affordable: Eindhoven $2,009/yr — cities with 3+ schools.
- Largest hidden-fee markup: Eindhoven +39% above stated tuition.
- Coverage: 152 cities · 70 countries WhereNext school DB · CC BY 4.0 — only open dataset with hidden-fee analysis.
Key Findings
Global Median True Cost
$13,460
vs $11,764 stated tuition
Global Hidden Fee Markup
13%
Median across 2,115 schools
Most Expensive City
$73,445
🇨🇭 Swiss Alps (8 schools)
Most Affordable City
$2,009
🇳🇱 Eindhoven (3 schools)
According to WhereNext's analysis of 2,115 international schools across 152 cities, the global median true annual cost of international schooling is $13,460, while the median stated tuition is $11,764 (the median per-school hidden fee markup is 13%). The gap between advertised fees and actual costs represents hidden charges including registration, transport, uniforms, meals, and activity fees that schools rarely include in headline figures. The most expensive city is Swiss Alps (median true cost $73,445/year), while Eindhoven is the most affordable at $2,009/year. Eindhoven has the highest hidden fee markup at 39%.
Top 50 Cities by School Count
152 cities with 3+ schools | Sorted by data coverage
Cities with the most international schools, showing stated tuition vs true cost (with hidden fees). "Hidden Fee %" is the median markup above stated tuition for that city. Click any city to see individual school listings.
| # | City | Schools | Median Tuition | Median True Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇸🇦 Riyadh | 56 | $9,334 | $12,834 |
| 2 | 🇦🇪 Dubai | 55 | $16,000 | $19,609 |
| 3 | 🇯🇵 Tokyo | 51 | $14,516 | $18,116 |
| 4 | 🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur | 49 | $10,000 | $11,500 |
| 5 | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong | 48 | $20,507 | $22,157 |
| 6 | 🇳🇱 Amsterdam | 37 | $11,000 | $12,200 |
| 7 | 🇰🇭 Phnom Penh | 36 | $5,457 | $6,607 |
| 8 | 🇹🇭 Bangkok | 34 | $15,173 | $17,110 |
| 9 | 🇪🇸 Valencia | 34 | $8,232 | $9,675 |
| 10 | 🇪🇸 Barcelona | 34 | $10,750 | $12,350 |
| 11 | 🇪🇸 Madrid | 33 | $12,000 | $13,800 |
| 12 | 🇰🇪 Nairobi | 32 | $7,184 | $7,883 |
| 13 | 🇶🇦 Doha | 32 | $12,862 | $15,312 |
| 14 | 🇵🇹 Lisbon | 31 | $14,500 | $16,000 |
| 15 | 🇬🇧 London | 31 | $33,490 | $37,390 |
| 16 | 🇿🇦 Cape Town | 29 | $4,719 | $5,578 |
| 17 | 🇨🇳 Shanghai | 28 | $26,690 | $30,540 |
| 18 | 🇦🇪 Abu Dhabi | 28 | $14,250 | $15,750 |
| 19 | 🇿🇦 Johannesburg | 27 | $6,311 | $7,429 |
| 20 | 🇰🇼 Kuwait City | 27 | $8,752 | $10,252 |
| 21 | 🇨🇦 Toronto | 26 | $18,772 | $21,098 |
| 22 | 🇧🇭 Manama | 26 | $8,065 | $10,044 |
| 23 | 🇴🇲 Muscat | 25 | $10,078 | $11,878 |
| 24 | 🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City | 25 | $12,000 | $13,500 |
| 25 | 🇮🇩 Bali | 23 | $6,168 | $7,389 |
| 26 | 🇨🇳 Guangzhou | 23 | $24,828 | $26,478 |
| 27 | 🇯🇴 Amman | 23 | $9,415 | $10,915 |
| 28 | 🇺🇬 Kampala | 23 | $4,931 | $5,351 |
| 29 | 🇪🇸 Alicante | 22 | $9,949 | $11,361 |
| 30 | 🇨🇿 Prague | 22 | $10,775 | $11,575 |
| 31 | 🇨🇭 Zurich | 22 | $35,039 | $36,900 |
| 32 | 🇺🇸 New York | 20 | $45,575 | $47,525 |
| 33 | 🇮🇹 Rome | 18 | $11,707 | $13,057 |
| 34 | 🇧🇪 Brussels | 18 | $21,471 | $22,956 |
| 35 | 🇵🇱 Warsaw | 18 | $13,732 | $14,732 |
| 36 | 🇸🇦 Jeddah | 17 | $11,727 | $14,727 |
| 37 | 🇻🇳 Hanoi | 17 | $17,847 | $19,497 |
| 38 | 🇺🇸 San Francisco | 17 | $39,113 | $40,153 |
| 39 | 🇪🇸 Mallorca | 16 | $10,750 | $11,900 |
| 40 | 🇹🇭 Chiang Mai | 16 | $9,978 | $10,974 |
| 41 | 🇪🇸 Marbella | 16 | $10,750 | $12,250 |
| 42 | 🇨🇭 Geneva | 16 | $27,421 | $29,841 |
| 43 | 🇮🇩 Jakarta | 16 | $16,021 | $17,711 |
| 44 | 🇰🇷 Seoul | 16 | $21,350 | $24,587 |
| 45 | 🇳🇱 Rotterdam | 16 | $11,237 | $12,187 |
| 46 | 🇨🇳 Beijing | 15 | $34,810 | $38,320 |
| 47 | 🇫🇷 Paris | 15 | $14,000 | $16,000 |
| 48 | 🇹🇭 Pattaya | 15 | $10,325 | $11,825 |
| 49 | 🇨🇭 Lausanne | 15 | $41,449 | $43,009 |
| 50 | 🇷🇴 Bucharest | 15 | $13,541 | $14,241 |
Showing top 50 of 152 cities. Browse all cities or use the API for complete data.
What international school really costs in your city
Headline tuition hides registration, assessment, transport, uniform, meal and activity fees. Pick a city to see the median true annual cost — and the markup over the sticker price.
Regional Cost Comparison
How international school costs compare across world regions. "True cost" includes WhereNext's hidden fee analysis — the actual annual spend beyond headline tuition.
| Region | Cities | Schools | Median True Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 74 | 761 | $12,720 |
| Southeast Asia | 27 | 343 | $9,896 |
| Gulf & Middle East | 12 | 307 | $12,356 |
| East Asia | 14 | 240 | $23,372 |
| Africa | 10 | 147 | $7,429 |
| Americas | 12 | 127 | $17,396 |
| Central Asia | 3 | 18 | $18,043 |
Europe
International schools across 74 cities in Europe have a median true annual cost of $12,720. Hidden fees average 11% above stated tuition. The most affordable city is Eindhoven ($2,009/year), while Swiss Alps is the most expensive ($73,445/year).761 schools tracked across the region.
Southeast Asia
International schools across 27 cities in Southeast Asia have a median true annual cost of $9,896. Hidden fees average 17% above stated tuition. The most affordable city is Saraburi ($4,946/year), while Singapore is the most expensive ($28,300/year).343 schools tracked across the region.
Gulf & Middle East
International schools across 12 cities in Gulf & Middle East have a median true annual cost of $12,356. Hidden fees average 21% above stated tuition. The most affordable city is Medina ($6,567/year), while Dubai is the most expensive ($19,609/year).307 schools tracked across the region.
East Asia
International schools across 14 cities in East Asia have a median true annual cost of $23,372. Hidden fees average 12% above stated tuition. The most affordable city is Okinawa ($9,242/year), while Hangzhou is the most expensive ($39,232/year).240 schools tracked across the region.
Africa
International schools across 10 cities in Africa have a median true annual cost of $7,429. Hidden fees average 17% above stated tuition. The most affordable city is Mauritius ($4,998/year), while Addis Ababa is the most expensive ($22,895/year).147 schools tracked across the region.
Americas
International schools across 12 cities in Americas have a median true annual cost of $17,396. Hidden fees average 11% above stated tuition. The most affordable city is Lima ($8,612/year), while New York is the most expensive ($47,525/year).127 schools tracked across the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are hidden fees at international schools?
International schools charge fees beyond stated tuition that add roughly 15% at the median (about 17% on average) — and 30–40%+ in the priciest Gulf cities like Dubai and Manama — to the real annual cost. These include: registration/enrollment fees ($500-$5,000), annual assessment fees, school bus/transport ($1,000-$4,000/year), uniform packages ($200-$800), meal plans ($500-$2,000/year), technology levies, and extracurricular activity fees. WhereNext's hidden fee analysis covers 2,115 schools across 152 cities. The global median hidden fee markup is 13%.
How much do international schools cost per year?
The global median true cost (including hidden fees) is $13,460/year across 152 cities and 70 countries. Costs vary enormously: from under $3,000/year in parts of Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe to over $30,000/year in premium cities. Swiss Alps is the most expensive at $73,445/year median. Eindhoven is the most affordable at $2,009/year.
What is WhereNext's "true annual cost"?
WhereNext's true annual cost includes stated tuition plus estimated hidden fees: registration/enrollment fees (amortized over a typical enrollment period), annual assessment and re-enrollment fees, school bus/transport costs, required uniform packages, meal plan costs, technology levies, and standard extracurricular activity fees. This gives families a realistic picture of what they'll actually pay versus the headline tuition figure that schools advertise.
How can I use this data?
This data is free under CC BY 4.0 — cite WhereNext and use it in your research, HR relocation budgets, journalism, or consulting work. Access city-level intelligence via our JSON API, get per-city deep dives via the School Intelligence API, or browse individual school listings at getwherenext.com/schools.
Use This Data
Access school cost intelligence programmatically. All endpoints are free under CC BY 4.0.
All Cities Summary
/api/data/school-costsCity Intelligence
/api/data/school-intelligence/{city}Cost Index (JSON)
/api/data/school-costs-indexCite As
WhereNext. "International School Costs by City 2026." getwherenext.com/data/school-costs-by-city
Methodology & Notes
- Data sourced from the WhereNext International School Database — 2,115 schools with published tuition fees across 152 cities in 70 countries.
- True annual cost is computed by WhereNext's hidden fee analysis engine: stated tuition + registration, assessment, transport, uniform, meal plan, and activity fees estimated from school-reported breakdowns and city-level norms. This is the figure families should budget — not the headline tuition.
- Two confidence tiers. Stated tuition is school-reported (high confidence). The ancillary hidden-fee layer is estimated from each school's reported fee breakdown where published, and from city-level norms otherwise (lower confidence). Schools without enough fee detail to price are excluded, not guessed — so the headline rests on the measured tuition layer, with the estimated layer disclosed.
- Hidden fee markup is the percentage difference between stated tuition (midpoint of published range) and true annual cost. A 20% markup means a school advertising $10,000/year actually costs ~$12,000/year.
- City medians are calculated only for cities with 3 or more schools reporting tuition, ensuring statistical reliability. Fees over $200,000/year are excluded as likely data errors.
- All fees are in USD, converted at import time from local currencies using a static exchange-rate table covering 50+ currencies.
- This is informational data for research and comparison purposes. Always verify current fees directly with schools before making enrollment decisions.
Sources: WhereNext International School Database, official school fee schedules. Full methodology
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How to cite this data:
WhereNext. "International School Costs by City 2026." getwherenext.com/data/school-costs-by-city. Accessed 2026-04-12.
Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Free to use with attribution.