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Phnom Penh Ranks As 2nd Cheapest City In Asia For International Schools
26/01/2023
The latest report from the International Schools Database which has compared the costs of international schools in 2022 to 2020 reveals that the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh is the second cheapest city across Asia for international schools.

The report assesses both regional and global costs of international schools, and we have previously published their findings in 2021 and in 2020.
International Schools Database – 2022 Report Key Findings

The comparable findings were started in 2019, and the latest analysis compares price data from 24 cities in 13 Asian countries.

The report concluded that the majority of Asian cities have median prices of under USD$15,000 per year, making it relatively affordable (excluding China) compared to other regions across the globe.

China again is the most expensive country in Asia for international schools, and the top four most expensive cities are; Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou (a repeat of last year’s findings – and median prices have increased in all four Chinese cities. Prices range from above USD $10,000 to almost $40,000 per year.

Across Asia, Malaysia and Thailand were among the least expensive countries in Asia for international schools, with 7 of the 10 least expensive cities located in the two Southeast Asian countries.

Phnom Penh was 2021’s least expensive city in Asia for international schools and in 2022 is the second least expensive. The latest results indicate that the median prices for international schools in the capital of Cambodia are USD $4,908, with highs of USD $20,340 per annum.

Some of the key points coming out of the research in 2022 are:
-The Malaysian city of Ipoh – Perak was the least expensive destination in Asia when it comes to international school costs at a median price of USD $2,632 per year – the lowest globally too.
-Phnom Penh is the 2nd cheapest city in Asia for international schools in 2022.
-China was the most expensive country in Asia for international education. Four Chinese cities are included in the top 10 most expensive locations in Asia.

International Schools Database 2022 Asian school prices

Image Credit: International Schools Database

Shrewsbury International School was the latest of a growing number of international schools to open in the Cambodian capital in 2022. Other well-known international schools include ISPP, AISPP, Northbridge, Lycée Français René Descartes, Canadian International School, and Invictus International School.
In full: https://www.b2b-cambodia.com/articles/p ... l-schools/

Is there actually a standard for international schools? Or can anyone just stick up a sign claiming to be an international school?

I believe there are various accrediting bodies, but in truth you'd want your kid to have an internationally recognised qualification at the end of their education and having spent all of that money. The ones that offer that are CISP, ISPP, Northridge, Hope, The Giving Tree and BISPP depending on which qualification you wanted to end up with and none of them would be anywhere near the lower end of that scale in terms of fees.

My information is out of date admittedly, but imho unless the children are working towards the IB or GCSE's and A-Levels then there's little point in sending them to an International School. You may as well send them to somewhere like American Intercon.

Cambo Dear wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:24 pm I believe there are various accrediting bodies, but in truth you'd want your kid to have an internationally recognised qualification at the end of their education and having spent all of that money. The ones that offer that are CISP, ISPP, Northridge, Hope, The Giving Tree and BISPP depending on which qualification you wanted to end up with and none of them would be anywhere near the lower end of that scale in terms of fees.

My information is out of date admittedly, but imho unless the children are working towards the IB or GCSE's and A-Levels then there's little point in sending them to an International School. You may as well send them to somewhere like American Intercon.

Thanks that's helpful. As you said the ones at the lower end of the scale aren't geared towards one of those qualifications, so in a way I wonder what's the sense of including them in this index?

Cambo Dear wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:24 pm I believe there are various accrediting bodies, but in truth you'd want your kid to have an internationally recognised qualification at the end of their education and having spent all of that money. The ones that offer that are CISP, ISPP, Northridge, Hope, The Giving Tree and BISPP depending on which qualification you wanted to end up with and none of them would be anywhere near the lower end of that scale in terms of fees.

My information is out of date admittedly, but imho unless the children are working towards the IB or GCSE's and A-Levels then there's little point in sending them to an International School. You may as well send them to somewhere like American Intercon.

I have my school-age child in AIS. That's not on your list. Seems fairly good though. Which school have you people with children them at?

guess they left Northbridge off the list LOL

2022-23 Tuition Fees

Tuition Fees (New & Returning Students)

TUITION FEES YEARLY
Early Learning 2 - 4
$ 9,620
Kindergarten - Grade 5
$ 18,650
Grades 6 - 10
$ 22,820
Grades 11 - 12
$ 24,620
https://www.nordangliaeducation.com/nis ... ition-fees
More than Phuket, my daughters last year in 2012 was $11,000 at QSI international , Phuket's most expensive at the time ( BIS ) was $14,000, its now over $20,000

Her 1st year at Sonoma state Ca, including Boarding was $35,000 as an out of state student, 2nd year after she got residency, it dropped to $8,000 for tuition only

IMHO
One thing I found, Primary school year 1-8, international is a waste of $$, bilingual schools are fine, than send them to International starting year 8 and than ONLY if your child will be heading to a University outside Cambodia, otherwise international schools are over kill

Rune wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:58 pm

Cambo Dear wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:24 pm I believe there are various accrediting bodies, but in truth you'd want your kid to have an internationally recognised qualification at the end of their education and having spent all of that money. The ones that offer that are CISP, ISPP, Northridge, Hope, The Giving Tree and BISPP depending on which qualification you wanted to end up with and none of them would be anywhere near the lower end of that scale in terms of fees.

My information is out of date admittedly, but imho unless the children are working towards the IB or GCSE's and A-Levels then there's little point in sending them to an International School. You may as well send them to somewhere like American Intercon.

I have my school-age child in AIS. That's not on your list. Seems fairly good though. Which school have you people with children them at?

Isn't American Intercon the same as AIS? Cambo Dear mentioned that but I don't know why they don't consider it an international school.

daeum_tnaot wrote: ↑Tue Jan 31, 2023 11:52 am

Rune wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:58 pm

Cambo Dear wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:24 pm I believe there are various accrediting bodies, but in truth you'd want your kid to have an internationally recognised qualification at the end of their education and having spent all of that money. The ones that offer that are CISP, ISPP, Northridge, Hope, The Giving Tree and BISPP depending on which qualification you wanted to end up with and none of them would be anywhere near the lower end of that scale in terms of fees.

My information is out of date admittedly, but imho unless the children are working towards the IB or GCSE's and A-Levels then there's little point in sending them to an International School. You may as well send them to somewhere like American Intercon.

I have my school-age child in AIS. That's not on your list. Seems fairly good though. Which school have you people with children them at?

Isn't American Intercon the same as AIS? Cambo Dear mentioned that but I don't know why they don't consider it an international school.

Why would it be considered an international school? It's mostly a private English language center that students who attend national schools supplement their learning with. It does have a junior/middle/ high school program but that's small in comparison. Most of the teachers are Khmer with a few Filipinos and other foreigners, and almost all the students are Cambodians.

phuketrichard wrote: ↑Tue Jan 31, 2023 10:26 am guess they left Northbridge off the list LOL

2022-23 Tuition Fees

Tuition Fees (New & Returning Students)

TUITION FEES YEARLY
Early Learning 2 - 4
$ 9,620
Kindergarten - Grade 5
$ 18,650
Grades 6 - 10
$ 22,820
Grades 11 - 12
$ 24,620
https://www.nordangliaeducation.com/nis ... ition-fees

early learning :2/3/4 @ 9620 each = 28'860
Kindergarden: 18'650
Grades 6/7/8/9/10: each @ 22'820 = 111'400
Grades 11/12; each @ 24'620 = 49'240

Total 208'150 + fixed fees

Reasonable amount for a quality education (that does not guarantee a successul adult). I guess just not financially doable for many of the expats. A hard decision to take.

John Bingham wrote: ↑Tue Jan 31, 2023 12:06 pm

daeum_tnaot wrote: ↑Tue Jan 31, 2023 11:52 am

Rune wrote: ↑Mon Jan 30, 2023 8:58 pm

Cambo Dear wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:24 pm I believe there are various accrediting bodies, but in truth you'd want your kid to have an internationally recognised qualification at the end of their education and having spent all of that money. The ones that offer that are CISP, ISPP, Northridge, Hope, The Giving Tree and BISPP depending on which qualification you wanted to end up with and none of them would be anywhere near the lower end of that scale in terms of fees.

My information is out of date admittedly, but imho unless the children are working towards the IB or GCSE's and A-Levels then there's little point in sending them to an International School. You may as well send them to somewhere like American Intercon.

I have my school-age child in AIS. That's not on your list. Seems fairly good though. Which school have you people with children them at?

Isn't American Intercon the same as AIS? Cambo Dear mentioned that but I don't know why they don't consider it an international school.

Why would it be considered an international school? It's mostly a private English language center that students who attend national schools supplement their learning with. It does have a junior/middle/ high school program but that's small in comparison. Most of the teachers are Khmer with a few Filipinos and other foreigners, and almost all the students are Cambodians.

OK, sure, I have no idea what kind of courses they are offering these days.