For a family moving to Thailand, school fees typically exceed every other living cost combined. That single fact reshapes the budget more than the choice of city does, and it is why this page leads with numbers rather than curricula.
International school fees by tier
| Tier | Annual primary tuition | ~USD | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | 200,000–350,000 THB | 6,100–10,700 | Wells International, KIS International, St Andrews International |
| Mid | 400,000–600,000 THB | 12,200–18,300 | Bangkok Patana, NIST International, Ruamrudee International |
| Premium | 650,000–950,000+ THB | 19,850–29,000+ | International School Bangkok, Shrewsbury International, Bromsgrove International |
Secondary runs materially higher than primary at every tier — commonly 20 to 40 percent above, rising further through IB Diploma and A-Level years.
The costs beyond tuition
| Item | THB |
|---|---|
| Registration or enrollment, often one-off and sometimes non-refundable | 50,000–200,000+ |
| Learning support or EAL provision, annual | 80,000–200,000+ |
| External exam fees — IGCSE, IB, A-Level — per session | 80,000–200,000+ |
Plus uniform, bus, lunch, trips and capital levies. A realistic all-in figure for a premium Bangkok school is meaningfully above the headline tuition, and the EAL line in particular surprises families whose children do not arrive fluent — it is charged annually, not once.
Where the schools are
Bangkok has by far the deepest market: British with IGCSE and A-Level, IB Diploma, American, and Thai-international hybrid curricula, plus French, German, Japanese and Singaporean schools. ISB (American), Bangkok Patana (British), NIST (IB) and Shrewsbury (British) are the long-established anchors.
Chiang Mai has a smaller but genuine sector — Prem Tinsulanonda International on the IB, Chiang Mai International School, Lanna International — generally at lower fee points, mostly budget to mid.
Phuket is dominated by British International School Phuket, offering IB and British curricula with boarding, priced mid to premium and reflecting the island’s general cost premium.
The geography is a real constraint: outside these three, provision thins fast. It narrows where a family with school-age children can realistically settle far more than it narrows a couple’s options.
The public system, and the tier in between
Thai public schools are free to Thai nationals and open to foreign children in principle, but instruction is entirely in Thai and English is taught to a low standard — Thailand ranks 116th globally on the EF proficiency index. Enrollment requires a residence certificate and documentation.
Practically, the public system works for young children of families settling permanently who will acquire Thai natively. It does not work for older children arriving without Thai, and it does not produce qualifications recognized for Western university entry without additional provision.
Between the two extremes sits a large and often-overlooked tier: Thai bilingual and “English Programme” private schools, teaching a Thai curriculum partly in English at roughly 80,000 to 250,000 THB a year. That is a quarter to a third of international school cost. Quality varies enormously and has to be assessed school by school rather than by category — but for a family that would otherwise be priced out, it is the option worth investigating properly.
Frequently asked questions
How much are international schools in Thailand?
Primary tuition runs 200,000 to 350,000 THB a year at the budget tier, 400,000 to 600,000 at mid, and 650,000 to 950,000 and above at premium schools such as ISB and Shrewsbury. Secondary is commonly 20 to 40 percent higher. Add registration of 50,000 to 200,000, annual EAL support of 80,000 to 200,000 if needed, and exam fees at the same scale.
Can my children attend Thai public schools?
In principle yes, with a residence certificate and documentation. In practice instruction is entirely in Thai and English is taught to a low standard, so it works for young children of families settling permanently who will pick up Thai natively, and not for older children arriving without it. It also does not produce qualifications recognized for Western university entry without additional provision.
Is there anything between public and international schools?
Yes, and it is under-discussed: Thai bilingual and English Programme private schools teach a Thai curriculum partly in English for roughly 80,000 to 250,000 THB a year — a quarter to a third of international school cost. Quality varies enormously between individual schools rather than by category, so they need assessing one at a time, but for a family otherwise priced out they are worth investigating.
Sources
- Published fee schedules of the named schools, 2025/26 academic year
- Office of the Private Education Commission — English Programme school framework
- EF Education First — English Proficiency Index
