Living in Bangkok with kids: schools, areas and costs

Quick answer: what is living in Bangkok with kids like? Most expat families settle along Sukhumvit, in Sathorn, around Bang Na or in the gated Nichada Thani estate, close to school. Schools in this guide charge roughly THB 515,000 to THB 1,260,000 a year in 2026-27 (Dulwich College Bangkok: THB 711,100 to 988,500), and PM2.5 haze from December to March is the main health trade-off.

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

Key takeaways

At the international schools in this guide, 2026-27 tuition runs from THB 515,000 (Nursery at Bangkok Patana School) to THB 1,256,700 (Year 12 at Shrewsbury International School Bangkok), according to the schools' fee schedules.
Grade A apartments in downtown Bangkok listed at an average of THB 581 per square metre a month in Q2 2026, according to CBRE.
The Pollution Control Department put Bangkok's average PM2.5 level at 28 µg/m³ over the 2025-26 haze season, with 29 days above the national standard against 65 a year earlier.
Thailand's Long-Term Resident visa covers a spouse and children under 20, up to four dependants per holder, according to the Board of Investment.

Families who enjoy Bangkok tend to make one decision first: where the school is. Peak-hour traffic on the main roads is slow, so most parents pick the school, then a condo or house within easy reach of it. This guide to living in Bangkok with kids covers the areas families actually use, what homes and schools cost for 2026-27, how the dry-season haze works, which visas cover children and where to find paediatric care.

Is Bangkok good for kids? For many families it is, thanks to a deep choice of English-medium schools, private hospitals with children's units and housing from serviced flats to garden houses. Costs and air quality are the two things to check first, and both are covered below with dated figures.

Which areas of Bangkok suit families?

The right area is the one closest to your school, ideally near a BTS or MRT station for weekends.

Sukhumvit (Asok to Phrom Phong): central condos and serviced flats on the Skytrain line, with NIST International School on Soi 15 and Bumrungrad International Hospital on Soi 3.
Thonglor and Ekkamai: restaurant streets and low-rise compounds a little further east, close to Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital on Soi 49.
Sathorn and Silom: large flats in towers; Shrewsbury Riverside is on Charoen Krung Road, about 15 minutes' walk from Saphan Taksin BTS, according to the school.
Bang Na and the east: more space for the money, with Bangkok Patana School on Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105), Glory Singapore International School off Sukhumvit 101/1 and Dulwich College Bangkok in Prawet.
Nichada Thani and Pak Kret: a gated estate in Nonthaburi built around International School Bangkok (ISB), where a long trip downtown buys a very short school run.

Area	Typical family home	School nearby	Tuition 2026-27 (THB a year)
Sukhumvit	Condo or serviced flat	NIST International School	650,200 to 1,132,800
Sathorn and riverside	High-rise condo	Shrewsbury Riverside	719,400 to 1,256,700
Bang Na	Compound house or townhouse	Bangkok Patana School	515,000 to 1,014,000
Prawet (east)	Compound house or townhouse	Dulwich College Bangkok	711,100 to 988,500
Nichada Thani	House in a gated estate	ISB	659,000 to 1,197,000
Lam Luk Ka (Pathum Thani)	Estate home or boarding	KIS Reignwood Park	585,000 to 1,040,300

Ranges run from the lowest to the highest annual tuition in each school's 2026-27 schedule (at Dulwich, for the year groups open in 2026-27); registration, deposits and buses are extra, and lunch is included only at some stages, such as Nursery to Year 6 at Bangkok Patana.

What does it cost to live in Bangkok with a family, rent included?

Rent is the second-largest bill after school fees. CBRE's Q2 2026 Bangkok figures put the average asking rent for Grade A downtown apartments at THB 581 per square metre a month, and THB 1,358 for Grade A serviced apartments. At those averages, a 150 square metre family apartment would list at roughly THB 87,000 a month, or about THB 204,000 if serviced.

Not every family rents at the top of the market. BASIS International School Bangkok's July 2026 relocation guide puts a two- or three-bedroom flat in a central district at THB 40,000 to 90,000 a month, with outer areas such as Bang Na cheaper for the space.

Worked example: the first-year school bill. One child joining Year 3 at Bangkok Patana School in 2026-27 would pay:

Tuition: THB 790,000
Entrance fee (first child): THB 250,000
Capital assessment fee: THB 30,000
Refundable deposit: THB 50,000
Application fee: THB 5,500

That is THB 1,125,500 in the first year, about USD 33,500 at the European Central Bank reference rate of 6 November 2026, with the deposit returned on leaving with notice. Our guide to international school fees in Bangkok compares more schools stage by stage.

International schools in Bangkok worth a visit

Dulwich College Bangkok

Dulwich College Bangkok is on Soi Ramkhamhaeng 2 in Prawet, a natural fit for families in Bang Na or along outer Sukhumvit. Its 2026-27 schedule runs from THB 711,100 for Nursery to THB 988,500 for Year 7, plus a THB 250,000 registration fee and a THB 50,000 refundable deposit; Early Years meals are included. The school states that Years 8 to 13 will not be open in 2026-27, although the schedule already lists THB 1,107,500 for Years 12 and 13, so check which year groups will exist when your older child arrives.

KIS International School Reignwood Park

KIS Reignwood Park is a full IB school on a 60-acre campus in Lam Luk Ka, Pathum Thani, with boarding for students aged 9 to 18, according to the school. Tuition for 2026-27 runs from THB 585,000 in Early Years Prep to THB 1,040,300 in Grades 11 and 12, with a THB 260,000 registration fee up to Grade 10 and a choice between a THB 45,000 annual development fee and a refundable THB 250,000 fund. Tuition for students entering Grade 11 stays fixed for the two-year programme.

Glory Singapore International School

Glory Singapore International School has its Sukhumvit campus off Sukhumvit 101/1 in Bang Na and a second campus in Ramintra. According to its website it teaches in English, Chinese and Thai, with the Singapore curriculum in primary and Cambridge in secondary. It does not post fees online, so ask admissions for the 2026-27 schedule and compare it line by line.

Is Bangkok a safe place to live, and how bad is the air?

For most families the risks to plan for are traffic and air rather than crime. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Thailand advice, updated in October 2026, flags a high number of road accidents, particularly involving motorcycles, and warns about pickpockets and bag-snatchers.

The haze usually builds from December and eases in March. The Pollution Control Department told Khaosod English that Bangkok's average PM2.5 level over the 2025-26 season (1 November 2025 to 8 March 2026) was 28 µg/m³, down from 33, with exceedance days falling from 65 to 29. The national 24-hour standard is 37.5 µg/m³, and bad days still happen: the Bangkok Air Quality Information Centre recorded a citywide average of 43.7 µg/m³ at 7am on 13 March 2026, as reported by The Nation. Ask each school how it handles high readings; KIS, for example, publishes an air quality and heat management policy.

Which visas do children need to live in Bangkok?

Children normally follow the working parent's visa. The Royal Thai Embassy in Washington lists the Non-Immigrant B visa for employment, which needs a WP32 approval letter from the Ministry of Labour and costs USD 80 for a 90-day single entry, applied for through the e-Visa portal.

Spouses and children then apply for a Non-Immigrant O visa to stay with a non-Thai family member in Thailand, with birth and marriage certificates as proof and, for minors under 20 travelling with one parent, a consent letter from the other. Higher earners can consider the Long-Term Resident visa: the Board of Investment sets a USD 80,000 average annual income for highly skilled professionals, allows up to four dependants and charges THB 50,000 per person for 10 years when issued in Thailand. Each dependant needs USD 50,000 of health cover or a USD 25,000 deposit.

Healthcare for children in Bangkok

Bumrungrad International Hospital on Sukhumvit Soi 3 says it was the first hospital in Asia accredited by Joint Commission International, in 2002, and was re-accredited in 2023. Samitivej runs an international children's hospital at Sukhumvit 49 and Srinakarin, where a new building with 111 paediatric beds opened in 2025, according to the hospital. Check that your insurance covers outpatient visits as well as admissions.

Checklist before you sign a lease

Visit your shortlisted school at drop-off time and time the journey from each building you like.
Ask the school for its 2026-27 fees, its policy on high PM2.5 days and whether your child's year group is open.
Budget for joining fees of THB 225,000 to 265,000 per child at the schools above.
Have birth and marriage certificates legalised before you travel.
Confirm who pays for air-conditioner servicing and whether purifiers can be installed.

Weighing up more than one city in the region? Our guide to living in Hanoi with kids uses the same approach.

Compare schools across Bangkok

Once you know which part of the city suits you, shortlist by curriculum, fees and distance with our guide to the best international schools in Bangkok.

Sources: 2026-27 fee schedules of Dulwich College Bangkok, KIS Reignwood Park, Bangkok Patana School, ISB, NIST and Shrewsbury; Glory Singapore International School; CBRE (Q2 2026); BASIS International School Bangkok (July 2026); Pollution Control Department via Khaosod English; The Nation; Royal Thai Embassy, Washington DC; Board of Investment; UK FCDO; Bumrungrad; Samitivej; European Central Bank.

More guides to schools in Bangkok

Frequently asked questions

Is Bangkok good for kids?

Bangkok works well for many families thanks to its wide choice of English-medium schools and private hospitals with children's units, such as Samitivej International Children's Hospital at Sukhumvit 49 and Srinakarin. The trade-offs are traffic, which makes living near school important, and haze: the Pollution Control Department counted 29 days above the national PM2.5 standard in the 2025-26 season.

How much rent should a family budget in Bangkok?

CBRE put the average asking rent for Grade A downtown apartments at THB 581 per square metre a month in Q2 2026, so a 150 square metre flat lists at roughly THB 87,000. A July 2026 relocation guide from BASIS International School Bangkok gives THB 40,000 to 90,000 for a two- or three-bedroom flat in a central district, with outer areas cheaper.

Which visa do children need to live in Thailand?

Children of a parent working on a Non-Immigrant B visa usually apply for a Non-Immigrant O visa to stay with a non-Thai family member, using birth certificates as proof of relationship. Holders of the 10-year Long-Term Resident visa can add up to four dependants, a spouse and children under 20, each with USD 50,000 of health cover or a USD 25,000 deposit.