Pattaya International Schools 2026: Real Annual Costs by Tier

A year at an international school in Pattaya in 2026/27 costs from 147,000 THB in a bilingual programme to 999,000 THB in the final years of premium campuses. But the price list shows tuition only. ISC Pattaya advertises 370,800 THB for Year 6, yet the first year costs a family 520,340 THB once non-refundable fees and mandatory extras are added.

Three price tiers, almost a sevenfold gap

Figures below are per academic year 2026/27 for senior year groups, excluding entrance fees.

• Premium, 795,000 - 999,000 THB: Rugby School Thailand, Regents, St Andrews Green Valley, Highgate
• Mid-range, 517,000 - 665,000 THB: Mooltripakdee (MIS), Tara Pattana, Garden International, International School Eastern Seaboard
• Bilingual, 147,000 - 166,000 THB: Burapa English-Programme School, Phoenix Wittaya, Royal English Programme School

Fees rise almost every year group within a single school. At Regents (Pong, Banglamung), the October 2026 price list runs: Pre-Nursery 464,000 THB, Reception 513,000 THB, Years 1-2 649,000 THB, Years 3-6 682,000 THB, Years 7-8 765,000 THB, Year 9 855,000 THB. Paying the full year upfront earns a 5% discount, bringing Years 3-6 to 647,900 THB.

By stage, 2026 benchmarks are: kindergarten 150,000 - 350,000 THB, primary (Years 1-6) 250,000 - 550,000 THB, lower secondary (Years 7-9) 350,000 - 650,000 THB, IGCSE (Years 10-11) 450,000 - 750,000 THB, and the final IB Diploma year 550,000 - 850,000 THB.

For comparison, the Phuket market runs from roughly 180,000 - 420,000 THB per year in small bilingual schools up to 520,000 - 1,100,000 THB in the final years of flagship boarding schools, so Pattaya sits in a similar band.

What tuition does not include

This is where most families get caught when comparing schools online. The published tuition and the sum you actually need by August can differ by hundreds of thousands of baht. First-year totals for Year 6 at three schools:

• El Dream: tuition 250,400 THB + non-refundable fees 45,000 THB + extras 43,000 THB = 338,400 THB
• ISC Pattaya: 370,800 THB + 73,000 THB + 76,540 THB = 520,340 THB
• Rugby Thailand (non-boarding): 1,093,500 THB

At Mooltripakdee, base tuition is about 357,000 THB a year, with mandatory charges (medical, meals, learning materials) adding 57,000 - 91,000 THB. At Hastin International, the entrance fee is around 30,000 THB on tuition of 229,500 THB.

Practical advice: ask admissions for the full annual fee schedule, not the tuition page. Ask separately about any refundable deposit, since some schools do not publish it and families only learn of it when signing the contract.

Discounts exist but are modest. MIS offers 5% for a second child, 10% for a third and 5% for paying the year in full. Regents gives the same 5% for annual payment. For two children at a mid-range school, the discount roughly covers one school-bus term, no more.

Is there a Russian school in Pattaya?

There is no full Russian school issuing a state certificate in Pattaya. What exists: Russian-speaking kindergartens and private centres, after-school groups and tutors, plus family or distance education attached to a school in Russia with online certification. In primary years this works fine. By Year 8-9, parents are usually exhausted by the double workload and move the child fully into an international school. Prices at Russian-speaking centres change quickly and are rarely published, so confirm them directly before you arrive.

One expectation that rarely holds: a bilingual programme at 147,000 - 166,000 THB does not create an English-speaking environment. Some subjects run in Thai, the class is mostly Thai, and English is taught as a subject rather than used at break time. It is good value, but unsuitable if you plan to apply to a British university in two years.

The school dictates the neighbourhood

Large campuses sit inland: Regents in Pong, Rugby School Thailand well outside the built-up city. Families send children there from homes near the school or along the school bus route, not by the sea. Choose the school first, then the area. Reverse it and it gets expensive: you lease a Jomtien condo for a year, then discover your child boards a bus in the dark and gets home at dinner time. The bus is almost always an extra, listed with uniform, lunches and trips. Confirm the route and pick-up point before signing a lease.

Choosing: a school to Year 9 or to graduation

The costliest mistake looks harmless. Hastin International runs a British programme to Year 9 at around 229,500 THB a year, half the mid-range level, but has no senior years yet. In a few years the family faces entrance tests again, another non-refundable fee, and a hunt for a place in graduation years where there may be none.

Full-cycle schools remove that risk: Mooltripakdee runs to Year 13 with Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level, and Regents takes ages 2 to 18 with IGCSE, A-Level and the IB Diploma.

Our view: if your child is 11 or older, choose a school with senior years, even at 100,000 - 150,000 THB more per year. Savings on middle school are repaid by a move at the worst moment, a year or two before exams. If your child is 4-6 and you are unsure you will stay five years, the reverse applies: paying 682,000 THB for primary school for a future you did not plan makes little sense. If your education budget is up to 200,000 THB a year, international schools are not your segment; look at bilingual programmes and accept their limits.

The school year starts in August. Plan campus tours and English entrance tests for January - February, while popular year groups still have places.

FAQ

What is the cheapest English-language school in Pattaya?

Bilingual programmes at 147,000 - 166,000 THB a year. English is taught, but there is no full English-speaking environment.

Is there a Russian school in Pattaya with a certificate?

No. Russian-speaking kindergartens and centres exist, but the certificate comes through distance or family education attached to a school in Russia.

How much does the first year really cost?

For Year 6 in our worked examples: from 338,400 THB at a lower-cost school to 1,093,500 THB at Rugby Thailand without boarding.

When should I apply for 2026/27?

About six months before the August start. In January and February, tours and testing are easier to book, and by summer strong year groups are often full.

Is there a sibling discount?

Yes, but a small one: at MIS it is 5% for a second child and 10% for a third, plus 5% for paying the year in one payment.

Does the school choice affect where I should rent?

Yes. Many big campuses are inland (Regents in Pong, Rugby well outside the city), so confirm the school bus route before signing a lease.

What should I request before budgeting?

A full annual fee schedule from every school. Add tuition, non-refundable fees, deposit, bus, uniform and lunches into one line, as the total gap can exceed the gap in headline prices.

Source: British Schools Asia

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