Best Affordable International Schools in Bangkok

Reviewed 2026-11-04. General independent information; check current official immigration, financial and medical guidance before acting.

Expert take — Cost of Asia editorial team A school's advertised "from" price is usually its nursery fee: at Charter International School, 2026/27 tuition jumps from THB 292,500 for two-year-olds to THB 510,000 by age five, and Wells charges more than twice as much in Grades 11–12 as in Nursery. Price the year group your child will be in for most of your stay, not the entry year. Then add the one-off fees and assume yearly rises: Wells tells parents to expect about 6–10% a year.

This guide is for families who want an accredited English-language school in Bangkok without paying the THB 1 million-plus that the best-known campuses charge in the senior years. The good news: Bangkok has a wide middle tier. One fee database lists more than 100 international schools in the city, and many publish full 2026/27 fee schedules.

The trade-off: lower-fee schools often have smaller campuses, fewer sixth-form subjects or a location away from the BTS. Some are cheap only in the early years; others charge separately for lunch, buses and support. Fees below are annual tuition in Thai baht for 2026/27 unless stated.

At a glance

How we chose

• Published fees: each school publishes a 2026/27 fee schedule, either on its own website or through the International Schools Database, which states it uses each school's published fees.
• Price ceiling: senior-year tuition well below the THB 1.06–1.26 million that Harrow, Shrewsbury and ISB charge (KIS is the exception, included for IB families).
• A recognized qualification at the end: IB Diploma, AP, A levels or a recognized national diploma.
• Accreditation or inspection we could see: IB World School status, WASC or CIS logos, the UK government's BSO list. Where we couldn't confirm accreditation, we say so.
• Location: inside Bangkok, with the district stated.

We did not rank on exam results, which schools report differently. Checked on 4 November 2026; confirm fees with admissions.

1. Wells International School — best for the lowest fees on the BTS line

Wells teaches an American-style program with the IB Diploma and AP Capstone in the final years. Its website shows IB World School, WASC and ONESQA logos. The Bangkok campuses are On Nut (2209 Sukhumvit Road, Bangchak), Thong Lo (Sukhumvit Soi 51) and Bang Na (Srinakarin Soi 62). A relocation guide puts the On Nut campus about 10 minutes' walk from BTS On Nut.

Who it suits

Families who want IB or AP options at roughly half the price of the top tier. Wells bills per semester; the 2026/27 annual equivalent runs from THB 259,000 in Nursery to THB 392,000 in Grades 1–2, THB 494,000 in Grades 7–8 and THB 570,000 in Grades 11–12.

Trade-offs

Lunch is compulsory at THB 15,000 per semester. New students pay a THB 5,000 registration fee and a non-refundable campus development fee of THB 70,000 or THB 140,000 depending on grade, plus a THB 35,000 refundable damage deposit. A round-trip bus in the nearest zone costs THB 26,000 per semester. The school itself warns that tuition is expected to rise about 6–10% a year.

Check before you commit

Ask which grades each campus teaches. Read the refund scale: Wells refunds 80% if your child withdraws before term starts, 50% in the first 21 days and nothing after day 40. Paying the full year up front earns a 3% discount on second-semester tuition, while paying in installments adds 5–6%.

2. Canadian International School of Thailand — best for the lowest all-in tuition

CIST is at Charan Sanitwong Soi 46 in Bang Phlat, on the Thonburi side of the river. It offers the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), and the International Schools Database lists a Canadian and IB curriculum.

Who it suits

Families on a tight budget, especially on the west bank. The 2026/27 schedule bundles meals and snacks into the annual total: THB 209,350 for PreK3 to Kindergarten, THB 262,350 for Grades 1–3, THB 369,000 for Grades 7–9 and THB 416,250 for Grades 10–12. Weekly boarding costs THB 78,000–90,000 a year on top.

Trade-offs

One-off fees are proportionally heavy: a THB 150,000 registration fee and a THB 2,500 school association fee on acceptance, plus THB 5,000 to apply. Students joining in the final years pay an extra OSSD fee of THB 50,000 to THB 150,000 depending on their entry grade. The schedule states that all payments are non-refundable.

Check before you commit

Ask which accreditation bodies currently recognize the school; the fee schedule doesn't name any. Budget for increases: Grade 10–12 tuition rose from THB 365,000 in 2025/26 to THB 383,250 in 2026/27, about 5%.

3. Garden International School — best for British A levels in central Bangkok

Garden International School is at 2 Akart Yen Akat Road in Sathorn and teaches the English curriculum from early years to IGCSE and A levels. It is a FOBISIA member school and says it has served families in Thailand for 30 years.

Who it suits

Families who want A levels and a central address. Garden bills per term; the 2026/27 annual equivalent is THB 324,900 for Nursery, THB 431,100 for Years 1–6, THB 502,500 for Years 7–9 and THB 514,000 for Years 12–13, less than half what some big British names charge in the sixth form.

Trade-offs

New students pay a THB 5,000 application fee, a non-refundable enrollment fee of THB 60,000 (Foundation Stage) or THB 120,000 (Primary and Secondary), and a THB 40,000 refundable deposit. External exams and extracurricular activities are not included, and the school notes that therapies such as speech and language support are paid to outside providers.

Check before you commit

Garden lists a THB 15,000 fee for education visa paperwork, so ask whether it applies to your child. The four bus routes cost THB 13,800 to THB 33,000 per term, with Sukhumvit–Thong Lo the most expensive, so check the route before choosing a home.

4. Traill International School — best for a UK-inspected school on a mid budget

Traill is at 43 Ramkhamhaeng Soi 16 in Huamark and teaches a British curriculum to IGCSE and A levels. It appears on the UK Department for Education's list of accredited British Schools Overseas (BSO), inspected in March 2025.

Who it suits

Families who want an independently inspected British school without top-tier fees. The International Schools Database lists 2026/27 tuition from THB 408,300 to THB 615,150.

Trade-offs

We could not open Traill's own fee schedule, so we don't know its one-off fees. Ramkhamhaeng is east of the center; test the drive from your planned neighborhood.

Check before you commit

Request the full schedule, including enrollment fees, deposits, bus and lunch.

5. Charter International School — best for the eastern suburbs

Charter is on Chaloem Phrakiat Ratchakan Thi 9 Road in Prawet. It teaches the English National Curriculum with Pearson Edexcel IGCSEs and Cambridge A levels. Schoozy's profile lists CIS accreditation since 2015 and WASC since 2010.

Who it suits

Families living in Prawet or Bang Na, on the eastern side of the city. The International Schools Database shows 2026/27 tuition of THB 292,500 for two-year-olds, THB 510,000 from age five to ten, THB 582,000 from 11 to 13, and THB 612,000 from 14 to 17.

Trade-offs

The one-off fees are low by Bangkok standards: a THB 2,000 application fee, a THB 100,000 enrollment fee and a THB 10,000 refundable damage deposit. But tuition rises steeply after nursery, so the long-term saving is smaller than the entry price suggests.

Check before you commit

Siblings get 10% off tuition for a second child and 15% for a third, according to the database. Confirm the discounts in writing.

6. Australian International School Bangkok — best for young children in central Sukhumvit

AISB runs two campuses: Sukhumvit Soi 20 for ages 2 to 7, and Sukhumvit Soi 31 for ages 6 to 18. The International Schools Database lists an Australian and British curriculum leading to IGCSE and A levels, with 2026/27 tuition from THB 336,000 to THB 569,000.

Who it suits

Families who want to live in central Sukhumvit.

Trade-offs

Central rents absorb much of the saving, and we could not confirm the school's accreditation from our sources.

Check before you commit

Ask for the full fee schedule, current accreditation and which campus your child's age group attends.

7. KIS International School — best for full IB below the top tier

KIS, in Huai Khwang, offers only IB programs, through to the Diploma. A relocation guide notes CIS accreditation, door-to-door buses and a free shuttle from the MRT. 2026/27 tuition runs from THB 459,800 to THB 984,700.

Who it suits

Families who want the full IB continuum and can absorb a high joining cost.

Trade-offs

KIS is affordable on tuition, not on entry. The same guide lists a THB 260,000 entry fee for Early Years Prep to Grade 10, plus a choice between a THB 45,000 annual development fee and a THB 250,000 refundable contribution. Buses cost THB 103,100 to THB 134,000 a year.

Check before you commit

Make sure you are on the Bangkok campus fee page: KIS also runs a Reignwood Park campus with higher fees.

What to check before you decide

• Price three year groups, not one: now, in three years, and the final year you expect to stay.
• Ask for a full first-year invoice with every one-off fee marked refundable or non-refundable.
• Read the refund rules before paying. Wells uses a sliding scale; CIST states that all payments are non-refundable.
• Check what tuition includes: lunch is compulsory at Wells and bundled at CIST, while exams are extra at Garden.
• Confirm accreditation at the source, for example on the UK government's BSO list or with the accrediting body, not just from a logo.
• Cost the bus from your actual address, and do the run at peak hour.

FAQ

What is the cheapest international school in Bangkok?

The International Schools Database lists small schools from about THB 104,000 a year, so check what qualifications they offer. Among the schools in this guide, CIST is the cheapest, at THB 209,350 to THB 416,250 including meals for 2026/27.

How much should I budget for the first year?

Add one-off fees to tuition. For a child starting primary in 2026/27, that means about THB 420,000 at CIST (meals included) or about THB 556,000 at Garden, before Garden's THB 40,000 refundable deposit. Then add buses, uniforms and devices.

Do international school fees in Bangkok go up every year?

Usually. Wells expects 6–10% a year, and CIST's senior tuition rose about 5% for 2026/27. Garden says fee revisions apply to existing students too.

Are there affordable options for French-speaking families?

Yes. Schoozy lists the Lycée Français International de Bangkok from THB 286,300 to THB 507,400, depending on level and nationality. See our main Bangkok schools guide for details.

Will my employer's education allowance cover everything?

Often not. A relocation guide notes that Bangkok job packages frequently cover tuition only, not registration fees, buses, lunch or uniforms. Negotiate on the total first-year cost.

Related guides

• Bangkok city guide
• Best international schools in Bangkok
• Best British international schools in Bangkok
• Best areas in Bangkok near international schools
• Best budget neighborhoods in Bangkok
• Budget calculator