Why are international schools in Switzerland the most expensive in Europe?

Ninety-four schools in 10 Swiss cities are geared specifically to students whose parents are foreign nationals and want their children to get an international education that is recognised abroad more widely than a solely Swiss schooling is — especially outside the EU.

Classes are typically smaller than in public schools and are conducted in English, though some schools have sections (or lessons) in a national language as well.

But like almost everything else in Switzerland, the cost of tuition and other services at these schools (such as extra-curricular activities, for instance), is higher than in international institutions across Europe.

This is the finding of a new survey carried out by International Schools Database, which researches and compares schools in cities across the world. The latest data is for 2023.

In its report published on Wednesday, the organisation said that “Switzerland continues to be significantly more expensive than the rest of Europe for international schooling.”

“Median prices in Swiss cities are a minimum of 16 percent higher than any other European city included in our research.”

And there is more: “since our research began, Switzerland has always been the most expensive country in Europe for international schooling, and it has also been among the most expensive in the world. Nothing has changed in 2023.”

In fact, the top three most expensive cities in Europe for international education are all located in Switzerland.

In Zurich and Zug, the median price is $30,701 per year (27,481 francs at today’s exchange rate), followed by Geneva ($26,553; 23,767 francs), and Lausanne ($17,271;15,459 francs).

“What is becoming more clear, is just how significant the difference is between prices in Switzerland and the rest of Europe,” the report noted.

“For example, London is the most expensive non-Swiss city on our list, with a median price of $22,725 per year.”

This means a gap of several thousand dollars / francs between London versus Zurich, Zug and Geneva.

Outside of Switzerland and London, median prices for internatonal schools in Europe range from $10,000 to $20,000 per year.

Why are these schools more expensive in Switzerland than in other countries?

Prices for almost all products and services are higher in Switzerland (and particularly in Zurich and Geneva), than elsewhere in Europe, so these costs are reflected in the tuition fees charged by private schools.

Also, Swiss salaries are quite a bit higher, which means teachers and other staff members earn more money than their counterparts in other countries.

And there is also a matter of reputation, which comes with a price tag as well.

According to the latest ranking from World Schools, Zurich International School is the best in Europe out of more than 100 rated, while the Institut Montana Zugerberg in Zug in the fifth place.