The Manila budget tier explained
Premium Manila international schools (International School Manila, British School Manila) cost USD 22,000-30,000 per year. Below this sit several tiers. Brent International School and Reedley International deliver mid-tier American/British curriculum at USD 8,000-16,000. Filipino-American premium schools (Ateneo de Manila, La Salle Greenhills) deliver English-instruction education in Filipino curriculum at PHP 200,000-450,000 (USD 3,500-7,800). Korean International School Manila and Manila Japanese School deliver national-curriculum at modest fees. Filipino premium schools (Xavier, Ateneo) deliver outstanding outcomes for Filipino university destinations at fees a fraction of premium internationals.
The 2026 top 6 budget options in Manila
Brent International School Manila
Long-established American international school with multiple campuses. AP and IB Diploma alongside US high-school diploma. Modest fees relative to ISM. Strong cohort outcomes leading to US university destinations. Particularly attractive for American-curriculum families seeking sub-ISM fees.
Reedley International School
Mid-tier American international school. AP pathway. Modest fees. Strong cohort outcomes. Particularly attractive for American-curriculum families based in Ortigas business district seeking sub-premium fees.
Ateneo de Manila University Senior High School
Premium Filipino senior high school affiliated with prestigious Ateneo de Manila University. Outstanding cohort outcomes for Filipino and US university destinations. Strong English instruction. Strong faculty. Genuinely competitive with international schools for university destinations at fees a fraction of premium tier.
La Salle Greenhills
Premium Catholic-foundation Filipino school. Strong cohort outcomes for Filipino and overseas universities. Strong English instruction. Particularly attractive for Filipino families wanting strong English-stream education without international school fees.
Korean International School Philippines (KISP)
Korean-community school. Korean Ministry of Education curriculum. Strong cohort outcomes for Korean university destinations. Particularly suited to Korean expat families.
Manila Japanese School
Japanese-community school. Japanese MEXT curriculum. Strong cohort outcomes for Japanese university destinations. Particularly suited to Japanese expat families. Strong value at PHP 200,000-330,000.
What you give up at this fee level
Budget Manila schools deliver strong academics but typically smaller campuses, larger class sizes (35-40 vs 18-22 at premium internationals) and fewer co-curricular options. Filipino-curriculum schools deliver strong outcomes for Filipino university destinations but limited international portability. National-curriculum schools (Korean, Japanese) deliver strong outcomes for specific national destinations.
The Filipino curriculum question
Philippine K-12 curriculum (with senior high school specialisation tracks) is well-recognised in Filipino universities and increasingly in US universities. For Filipino families committed to Filipino universities (Ateneo, UP, La Salle, San Beda), Filipino premium schools deliver outstanding outcomes. For globally mobile families, IB Diploma or AP travels significantly better internationally.
How budget Manila compares to budget Jakarta/Bangkok
Manila's mid-tier internationals at USD 8,000-16,000 are similar to Jakarta's mid-tier (USD 8,000-15,000) and Bangkok's mid-tier (USD 8,000-18,000). Manila benefits from particularly strong premium Filipino-curriculum schools (Ateneo, La Salle) that deliver outstanding outcomes at fees a fraction of international tier. Across SE Asian capitals, Manila offers genuinely strong budget options.
Fee context
Budget Manila schools cost PHP 200,000-900,000 (USD 3,500-15,800). Premium Manila equivalents cost USD 22,000-30,000. Saving: 50-85% depending on tier. See our Manila city guide.