Moving to Alicante with kids: schools, areas and costs

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

Moving to Alicante with kids usually starts with the beach and the flights, but the decision that shapes daily life is the school run. The city's international schools are spread from the centre to Elche and the Vega Baja, and a cheaper flat in the wrong town can mean long drives twice a day.

Below, in the order that saves time for families moving to Alicante from the UK: schools and 2026-27 fees, areas and rents, visas and paperwork, and the official crime figures.

Is Alicante a good place to live with children?

For families who can work remotely or have a job lined up, it is a strong option, with the caveat that schooling choices are narrower than in Madrid or Valencia. The area has British, IB, European and Scandinavian schools, plus Spanish state and concertado (state-funded private) schools that teach the Spanish curriculum.

Housing costs depend heavily on the town: Alicante's average asking rent of €13.8/m² in October 2026 compares with €9.9/m² in neighbouring Elche, idealista reports.

Where families live: areas and rents

Most families with children at international schools settle along the coast north of the centre or in the towns just inland. Rents below are idealista's average asking prices for October 2026; signed contracts can differ.

Source: idealista rental price reports for Alicante city and the province, October 2026. The last column multiplies the average by 100 m².

Playa de San Juan and El Cabo are the most expensive district in the city; El Valle Alicante sits in the same 03540 postcode, on Avenida de la Condomina. El Campello, further up the coast, has risen fastest, 9.1% in a year. Mutxamel and San Vicente del Raspeig are inland and cheaper, which works if a school bus serves them. The centre is the most walkable option, and families at King's College School Alicante, on Glorieta del Reino Unido, can use its Alicante bus route.

International schools in Alicante and their 2026-27 fees

Published 2026-27 tuition ranges from €6,129.55 a year for primary at the European School of Alicante to €11,390 for the IB Diploma years at Newton College, before joining fees and extras.

Sources: 2026-27 fee schedules of King's College School Alicante, Newton College and the European School of Alicante; Skandinaviska Skolan's 2025-26 fees, the latest it lists.

The European School serves children of EU staff (Category I, no tuition) and takes Category III pupils when places allow. It has Spanish, English, French and German sections, and new Category III pupils without siblings at the school could only apply between 17 April and 8 May 2026 for 2026-27, with no waiting list. Skandinaviska Skolan, in a residential area of Orihuela, follows the Swedish curriculum and has taught Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish pupils since 1999.

Three schools to start with

Newton College

In Elche, south-west of Alicante, Newton combines the Spanish and British curricula, uses the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) in primary and offers the IB Middle Years Programme, then either the IB Diploma or the Spanish Bachillerato. The school says it has pupils of more than 40 nationalities. For 2026-27 it charges €7,510 a year in primary and €9,040 for Years 8 to 11, plus an €825 registration fee. Ask about bus routes if you plan to live north of Alicante.

El Valle Alicante

On Avenida de la Condomina in the 03540 postcode, near Playa de San Juan, El Valle runs the IB continuum: the Primary Years Programme from age 3 to the end of primary, the Middle Years Programme, then the IB Diploma or the Spanish Bachillerato. Teaching is in Spanish and English, with French or German as an option from fourth or fifth year of primary. Ask the school for its 2026-27 fees in writing.

King's College School Alicante

This British school on Glorieta del Reino Unido runs from Pre-Nursery (ages 2 to 3) to Year 13, with the IB Diploma as an option in Years 12 and 13. Its 2026-27 fees include tuition, lunch, books, materials and a tech fee; lunch is compulsory. The Alicante bus route costs €208 a month return. Third children get 10% off tuition and bus.

What age will my child start school in Spain?

Spain groups children by calendar year of birth, not by a September cut-off. Under Royal Decree 157/2022, pupils join the first year of primary in the calendar year they turn six, so a child born in November 2020 started primary in September 2026, alongside children born in January 2020. The European School applies the same rule. Ask British schools how your child will be placed if you may switch systems later.

Moving to Alicante from the UK: visas and paperwork

Since Brexit, UK nationals who were not living in Spain before 1 January 2021 need a visa or residence permit to live there, and GOV.UK points families to the Spanish consulates in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Two routes suit most families:

• Non-lucrative residence visa: for living in Spain without working. The London consulate asks for funds of 400% of the IPREM, Spain's benchmark income indicator, plus 100% for each dependant, health insurance covering what the public system covers (or a registered S1) and an ACRO criminal record certificate for adults.
• Digital nomad visa: for remote work for employers or clients outside Spain, with up to 20% of self-employed work for Spanish clients. You need a degree or three years' experience and 200% of the monthly minimum wage, which Royal Decree 126/2026 sets at €1,221 in 14 payments for 2026; ask the consulate whether it counts 12 or 14 payments before you gather bank statements. Apply for an NIE before the visa.

After arrival, register on the padrón at your town hall and apply for your residence card (TIE); children need their own residence documents, GOV.UK says. The padrón matters for schools: when there are not enough state places, Spain's Education Act makes proximity of home a priority criterion (article 84). For healthcare, the regional SIP card is issued once you are registered in the Valencian health system's population database, which can be done online with a digital certificate or Cl@ve; the card is collected at your health centre.

Is Alicante a safe place to live?

Theft is the largest single category of recorded crime. The Ministry of the Interior counts 13,819 offences in the city of Alicante from January to June 2026, up from 13,207 a year earlier. Thefts made up 4,015 of them, violent robberies 472 and home burglaries 312, down from 325. El Campello recorded 695 offences and San Vicente del Raspeig 1,205, both lower than in the first half of 2025.

Before you sign a lease: a checklist

1. Secure the school place first, then look for a flat on its bus route.
2. Ask each school for its full 2026-27 or 2027-28 fee list, including lunch, bus and exam fees.
3. Start the visa file early: apostilled birth certificates, criminal record checks and proof of funds take weeks.

If you are comparing the Costa Blanca with the city further north, our guide to moving to Valencia with kids covers the same questions there, and our guide to choosing an international school in Alicante goes deeper on curricula.

Compare schools across Alicante

Once you know which area suits you, compare curricula, fees and locations in our list of the best international schools in Alicante.

More guides to schools in Alicante

• Best international schools in Alicante
• Bilingual schools in Alicante
• How to choose an international school in Alicante
• International school admissions in Alicante
• International school fees in Alicante
• best international schools in Alicante

Further reading: moving to Murcia, Spain with children.

Frequently asked questions

Is Alicante a good place to live for British families?

It works well for families with remote income or a local job: there are British, IB, European and Scandinavian schools, and asking rents ranged from €10.6/m² in San Vicente del Raspeig to €15.8/m² at Playa de San Juan-El Cabo in October 2026, according to idealista. Since Brexit you need a visa, such as the non-lucrative or digital nomad visa, to settle.

Which areas of Alicante are best for families with children?

Playa de San Juan and El Cabo are popular for the beach and El Valle Alicante, but they are the priciest district at €15.8/m². El Campello is coastal and slightly cheaper, while Mutxamel and San Vicente del Raspeig cost €10.6 to €11.1/m². Choose the area once you know which school and bus route your children will use.

How do I get a state school place in Alicante?

Register on the padrón first, because when places are short Spain's Education Act gives priority to siblings, proximity of home or parents' work and family income (article 84). Children join primary in the calendar year they turn six. Apply through the regional admissions process in spring, or ask the local education office about places during the year.