International School Fees in Pattaya: 2026 Cost Guide for Families

Quick answer: How much do international schools in Pattaya cost in 2026? International schools in Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard charge roughly THB 250,000 to 450,000 a year for primary and THB 450,000 to 900,000 for secondary at the leading British and IB schools. Add a registration fee of THB 50,000 to 150,000, a refundable deposit, bus of THB 40,000 to 70,000 and exam fees in the final years.

Last reviewed: September 2026 by Emma from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.

Working out international school fees in Pattaya is simpler than in Bangkok because the market is smaller, but the range is still wide. The Pattaya and Eastern Seaboard area, which takes in Jomtien, Na Jomtien, Bang Saray, Ban Chang and the industrial estates towards Rayong and Chonburi, has around a dozen international schools. They range from small British-style primaries to a full campus of an English public school with boarding, and annual costs run from under THB 200,000 to close to a million baht. This guide sets out what the main schools charge in 2026, the extras that appear on the invoice, how Thai regulation shapes the sector and how to plan a school budget around an Eastern Seaboard posting.

Why Pattaya has so many international schools

Pattaya's school market is driven less by tourism than by industry. The Eastern Economic Corridor, Thailand's flagship development zone covering Chonburi, Rayong and Chachoengsao, hosts automotive, petrochemical and electronics plants at Laem Chabang, Amata City and Map Ta Phut, and the engineers and managers who run them live in Pattaya, Jomtien and Ban Chang. Add a large retired expat community, Bangkok families relocating for space and the U-Tapao airport expansion, and demand for English-medium schooling has grown steadily for two decades.

International schools in Thailand are licensed by the Office of the Private Education Commission under the Ministry of Education, and Thai nationals may attend, so most Pattaya schools have a mixed Thai and foreign intake. Fees are set by the schools but changes must be filed with the regulator. Tuition at licensed schools is exempt from Thailand's 7% VAT, so the quoted fee is what you pay.

Geography matters for cost because bus routes are long. Schools sit in three clusters: Pattaya and Jomtien itself, the Green Valley and Ban Chang area to the south towards Rayong, and the Bang Saray and Sattahip corridor. A child living in central Pattaya attending a Ban Chang school will spend forty minutes each way on the bus.

Curricula available in Pattaya

British curriculum: the largest group, from EYFS through IGCSE to A Levels, including the Thai campus of an English public school.
International Baccalaureate: the IB Diploma is offered at two schools, one of which runs the full PYP, MYP and Diploma continuum.
American curriculum: a small number of US-style schools with a high school diploma.
Bilingual Thai-English programmes: Thai private schools with English Programme streams at much lower fee points, following the Thai national curriculum.
French and German programmes: a French international school serves the francophone community in the Pattaya area.

International schools in Pattaya and what they charge

Regents International School Pattaya

Part of the Nord Anglia group, on a large campus between Pattaya and Ban Chang, Regents offers the English National Curriculum through IGCSE and the IB Diploma with a boarding house. It is the most established school in the area and fees sit at the top of the range, roughly THB 450,000 to 850,000 a year for day places, with boarding adding several hundred thousand baht.

Rugby School Thailand

The Thai campus of the English public school, near Bang Saray on an eighty-hectare estate, running a British curriculum from pre-prep to A Levels with full and weekly boarding. Day fees are roughly THB 500,000 to 900,000 depending on year group, and boarding takes the total well past THB 1 million. It draws families from Bangkok and across Asia as well as the Eastern Seaboard.

St Andrews International School Green Valley

A Cognita school in the Green Valley area near Ban Chang, with the full IB continuum in a smaller, community-focused setting. Fees are a step below the two big boarding campuses, roughly THB 350,000 to 650,000, and it is popular with families working at the Rayong industrial estates.

International School Eastern Seaboard

Known as ISE, this American curriculum school in the Bowin area between Pattaya and Rayong offers a US high school diploma with AP courses. Fees are roughly THB 350,000 to 600,000 and it has a long history serving the automotive and petrochemical communities.

Tara Pattana International School

A British curriculum school in the Jomtien area with IGCSE and A Levels, generally priced below the large campuses at roughly THB 250,000 to 450,000. It suits families who live in central Pattaya or Jomtien and want a shorter commute without the premium of the boarding schools.

Fee ranges and extras in 2026

As a rough guide for the 2026-27 year, the leading international schools in the Pattaya area charge roughly THB 200,000 to 350,000 for early years, THB 250,000 to 450,000 for primary, THB 350,000 to 650,000 for lower secondary and THB 450,000 to 900,000 for IGCSE, A Level and IB Diploma years. Thai bilingual programmes are usually THB 80,000 to 200,000. Boarding, where offered, adds roughly THB 300,000 to 500,000.

Application fee: roughly THB 3,000 to 10,000, non-refundable.
Registration or enrolment fee: roughly THB 50,000 to 150,000 per child, usually non-refundable.
Refundable deposit: roughly THB 50,000 to 100,000, returned on departure with notice.
School bus: roughly THB 40,000 to 70,000 a year depending on distance.
Uniforms: roughly THB 8,000 to 15,000 for a full set including PE and swimming kit.
Lunches: roughly THB 20,000 to 35,000 a year where not included.
Exam fees: IGCSE, A Level, AP and IB registrations billed separately, often THB 20,000 to 40,000 in the final year.
Learning support and English as an additional language: some schools charge extra for intensive EAL, roughly THB 30,000 to 80,000 a year.

Most schools bill in three terms or two semesters and offer a small discount for annual payment in advance. Sibling discounts of 5 to 15 percent are common and worth asking about.

Practical advice on paying for school in Pattaya

Compare the total invoice, not the tuition line. Registration fees and buses vary more between Pattaya schools than tuition does. A school that looks THB 100,000 cheaper on tuition can cost the same once a higher registration fee and a longer bus route are added.

Check whether your employer's allowance is capped in baht or dollars. Eastern Seaboard packages often set a fixed baht amount per child. If yours is in dollars, exchange rate movements can change how much of the fee is covered, so build in a margin.

Ask about the EAL policy before you enrol. Several Pattaya schools charge extra for intensive English support and some set a minimum English level for entry into secondary. Knowing this early avoids a surprise on the first invoice.

Compare Pattaya school fees in one place

Each school above has a verified profile on International School Advisor with current fee bands, curricula, reviews and contact details. Use the ranking of the best schools in Thailand to compare the Eastern Seaboard schools with Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai before you commit.

More guides to schools in Pattaya

Frequently asked questions

How much does an international school in Pattaya cost per year?

The leading international schools in Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard charge roughly THB 250,000 to 450,000 a year for primary and THB 450,000 to 900,000 for IGCSE, A Level and IB Diploma years. Thai bilingual programmes cost roughly THB 80,000 to 200,000. Add a registration fee of THB 50,000 to 150,000, a deposit, bus, uniforms and exam fees to reach the real total.

Is boarding available at international schools in Pattaya?

Yes. Two of the large British curriculum campuses near Pattaya offer full and weekly boarding, which is unusual in Thailand outside Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Boarding adds roughly THB 300,000 to 500,000 a year to tuition, taking the total for senior students past THB 1 million. Weekly boarding is popular with Bangkok families who join their children at weekends.

Are Pattaya international school fees cheaper than Bangkok?

Generally yes, by roughly 15 to 30 percent for comparable schools, although the top boarding campuses near Pattaya charge Bangkok-level fees. The savings are larger on housing than on schooling, and bus costs can be higher because of longer routes. Families relocating from Bangkok should compare full invoices, including registration fees, rather than headline tuition.