For all the advantages that living in Beijing can provide for an expat — and there are many, including exorbitant salaries, cheap local costs, and easily making new language partners — the unfortunate trade-off is that many of us will be making up the difference when it comes to some of the most expensive international school tuitions in the world.
According to the International Schools Database, Beijing has the second-highest tuition costs out of a list of 40 international cities, second only to Shanghai.
Following China’s lead, Switzerland dominated the list with three of its cities named in the top ten (Lausanne, Zurich, and Geneva at third, fourth and sixth place, respectively). The Canadian city of Toronto came in fifth place.
It was Beijing’s first appearance on the list, which was restricted to just 25 international cities last year. On both lists, Shanghai claimed top position while Copenhagen, Denmark was either last or next-to-last.
However, no matter what critics may say, there is an advantage to living in Beijing. When compared to average rental prices in expat areas, the average international school tuition costs in Beijing fall to fourth place against the same list of cities, coming in after Hanoi, Brussels, and Ho Chi Minh City.
According to the study, the average Beijing international school’s tuition (USD 2,519) costs 20 percent more than the average expat rental cost (USD 2,091), making a huge significance in what is precisely offered in expat salary and educational packages.
As pricey as that may be, expats may find Beijing’s other advantages to be especially alluring.
Despite its position as the capital of China and a first-tier city, Beijing is only rated as the fifth-most expensive city for expats in China, falling well behind Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Dalian. What’s more, if you want to get the most bang for your buck, expats can also take advantage of Beijing’s ever-expanding subway system for making their commute from their apartment out in the city’s less expensive suburbs.
As an expat, you’ll find that weighing the trade-offs is a recurring aspect of your life. If you’re willing to live in a less-than-expat-tier area while taking a mode of transportation that isn’t a taxi or car share, you’d also probably be more willing to look into alternatives besides international schools.
All in all, if you have set your sights on Beijing international schools, we can only hope that you get what you pay for.
This post first appeared on our sister site, the Beijinger. See more stories by this author here.
Photo: Beijing Relocation
