True Annual Cost · Abu Dhabi
True annual cost of international schools in Abu Dhabi
Updated 2026-04-26 · 22 schools with full cost data · 85 schools indexed
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True-cost dataset · Source: Official international-school fee schedules + IBO, COBIS & CIS accreditation registries · Last verified Apr 27, 2026 (5 months ago) · Verify fees, admissions, and current enrollment directly with the school's admissions office.
Key facts
- 22 schools with full cost data published tuition + WhereNext-modeled true annual cost (registration, transport, uniform, activities).
- Median tuition: $12,250/yr published headline tuition midpoint.
- Median true cost: $13,750/yr a median ~13% above each school's own tuition.
- Cheapest: Rawafid Private School $7,500/yr true annual cost.
- Most expensive: American Community School of Abu Dhabi $24,210/yr true annual cost.
Schools ranked
22
Median tuition
$12.3k
Median true cost
$13.8k
Median hidden fees
+13%
Curriculum mix
Schools ranked by true annual cost (cheapest first)
| # | School | Tuition USD | True cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rawafid Private School | $4,000-$8,000 | $7,500 |
| 2 | GIIS Abu Dhabi | $4,000-$10,000 | $8,500 |
| 3 | Emirates National Schools — Abu Dhabi | $4,500-$10,000 | $8,750 |
| 4 | Merryland International School | $5,000-$10,000 | $9,000 |
| 5 | Al Muna Academy | $6,000-$10,000 | $9,500 |
| 6 | Al Bateen Academy (SABIS) | $5,500-$12,000 | $10,250 |
| 7 | ADNOC Schools | $6,000-$12,000 | $10,500 |
| 8 | GEMS Cambridge International School Abu Dhabi | $6,000-$14,000 | $11,500 |
| 9 | Al Yasmina Academy | $7,000-$14,000 | $12,000 |
| 10 | Deutsche Internationale Schule Abu Dhabi | $7,500-$15,000 | $12,750 |
| 11 | Lycee Louis Massignon | $7,000-$16,000 | $13,000 |
| 12 | Abu Dhabi Grammar School (Canada) | $8,000-$18,000 | $14,500 |
| 13 | The British School Al Khubairat | $10,000-$18,000 | $15,500 |
| 14 | International Community School Abu Dhabi | $9,000-$20,000 | $16,000 |
| 15 | Abu Dhabi International School | $10,000-$22,000 | $17,650 |
| 16 | The British International School Abu Dhabi | $11,000-$23,000 | $18,650 |
| 17 | Repton Abu Dhabi | $12,000-$25,000 | $20,150 |
| 18 | Brighton College Abu Dhabi | $12,000-$26,000 | $20,650 |
| 19 | Raha International School | $13,000-$25,000 | $20,650 |
| 20 | Cranleigh Abu Dhabi | $13,000-$27,000 | $20,880 |
| 21 | GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi | $14,000-$26,000 | $21,650 |
| 22 | American Community School of Abu Dhabi | $16,000-$30,000 | $24,210 |
How we calculate true cost
The True Annual Cost takes the school’s mid-point USD tuition and adds city-calibrated extras for transport, uniform, registration recurrent, lunch, technology fee, and activity fees. The number is scaled by tier — premium-tier schools tend to charge proportionally higher capital levies and ancillary fees than budget schools.
Read the full True Annual Cost methodologyInternational school costs in Abu Dhabi — FAQ
How much does international school really cost in Abu Dhabi?
Across the 22 international schools in Abu Dhabi with full cost data, the median true annual cost is $13,750 per year (median published tuition is $12,250). Across individual schools, true cost runs a median 13% above each school's own tuition once first-year charges (capital levy, registration) and recurring extras (transport, uniform, technology, activities) are modeled in.
Why is the true cost higher than the published tuition in Abu Dhabi?
Published tuition is only the headline number. WhereNext models the additional charges a family typically faces — first-year items like capital levy and registration, plus recurring extras such as transport, uniform, technology and activity fees. In Abu Dhabi these add a median 13% to each school's own tuition (some schools more, some less).
What is the cheapest international school in Abu Dhabi by true cost?
Among the 22 schools in Abu Dhabi with full cost data, Rawafid Private School has the lowest true annual cost at $7,500 per year, while American Community School of Abu Dhabi is the highest at $24,210 per year. Schools without published cost data aren't ranked.
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