True Annual Cost · San José
True annual cost of international schools in San José
Updated 2026-04-26 · 5 schools with full cost data · 19 schools indexed
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5 international schools in San José have full cost data published. Median published tuition is $12,194 USD per year, while median true annual cost — modeled with first-year charges (capital levy, registration) plus recurring extras (transport, uniform, technology, activities) — runs $13,694 USD, a median 12% above each school’s own tuition. Cheapest with full cost data: Berkeley Academy at $9,852 USD/year true cost. Most expensive: Blue Valley School at $17,063 USD.
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
- 5 schools with full cost data published tuition + WhereNext-modeled true annual cost (registration, transport, uniform, activities).
- Median tuition: $12,194/yr published headline tuition midpoint.
- Median true cost: $13,694/yr a median ~12% above each school's own tuition.
- Cheapest: Berkeley Academy $9,852/yr true annual cost.
- Most expensive: Blue Valley School $17,063/yr true annual cost.
Schools ranked
5
Median tuition
$12.2k
Median true cost
$13.7k
Median hidden fees
+12%
Curriculum mix
Schools ranked by true annual cost (cheapest first)
| # | School | Tuition USD | True cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkeley Academy | $6,860-$9,843 | $9,852 |
| 2 | Lighthouse International School | $8,370-$10,918 | $11,144 |
| 3 | The European School | $9,173-$15,215 | $13,694 |
| 4 | Country Day School | $8,485-$19,939 | $15,712 |
| 5 | Blue Valley School | $12,755-$18,070 | $17,063 |
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 San José — FAQ
How much does international school really cost in San José?
Across the 5 international schools in San José with full cost data, the median true annual cost is $13,694 per year (median published tuition is $12,194). Across individual schools, true cost runs a median 12% 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 San José?
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 San José these add a median 12% to each school's own tuition (some schools more, some less).
What is the cheapest international school in San José by true cost?
Among the 5 schools in San José with full cost data, Berkeley Academy has the lowest true annual cost at $9,852 per year, while Blue Valley School is the highest at $17,063 per year. Schools without published cost data aren't ranked.
Best value in San José
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All schools in San José
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