At a glance
| Factor | Beijing | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|
| Average international school fees (secondary) | USD 30,000 to 50,000 | EUR 22,000 to 30,000 |
| Dominant curricula | IB, British, American | IB, British, Dutch bilingual |
| Cost of living vs Amsterdam (Numbeo, May 2026) | About 25 percent lower | Baseline |
| Family visa | Z visa plus S1 dependants | Highly skilled migrant plus DV |
| Expat share of population | About 0.5 percent (high concentration in Shunyi) | About 11 percent |
| Typical relocation timeline | 12 to 18 weeks | 8 to 12 weeks |
Beijing remains the priciest international school market in mainland China and the most concentrated, with most expat families living and schooling inside a small radius in Shunyi. Amsterdam is a smaller, calmer, lower-tax option with a Dutch subsidised sector that no Chinese city offers. The decision is rarely about quality of schools, which are strong in both cities, and almost always about lifestyle and tax position.
Schools landscape side by side
Beijing's international school market is dominated by four or five names. Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) and the International School of Beijing (ISB) sit at the premium end with full IB continua. Dulwich College Beijing and the British School of Beijing Shunyi cover the British curriculum with IGCSE and A Level pathways, while Beijing International Bilingual Academy (BIBA) and Yew Chung International School Beijing offer hybrid Chinese-English bilingual routes. Almost all of these sit in Shunyi north of the city, near most family housing.
Amsterdam's market is more diffuse but well served. The flagships are the International School of Amsterdam (ISA) in Amstelveen, the British School of Amsterdam in Old South, Amity International School in Amstelveen, and several Dutch International Primary Schools (DIPS) attached to local schools. The DIPS sector is publicly subsidised and charges EUR 5,500 to EUR 11,500 a year, a price point that is simply not available in Beijing.
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Fees and value for money
Beijing tuition at the top tier sits between CNY 220,000 and CNY 360,000 for primary and CNY 280,000 to CNY 380,000 for IB Diploma years. WAB and ISB push above CNY 400,000 in upper grades. Add 15 to 25 percent for capital levies, bus, lunch and trips. In USD terms, plan for USD 35,000 to USD 55,000 all-in per child per year at a top-tier Shunyi school.
Amsterdam private international schools charge EUR 16,000 to EUR 28,000 a year for tuition, with IB Diploma and A Level years at the top of that range. Add EUR 1,000 to EUR 3,000 in capital levies, registration and bus. Subsidised DIPS schools, where your employer is on the qualifying list, run EUR 5,500 to EUR 11,500 and represent the single biggest cost saving Europe offers. See our Amsterdam schools guide and the cost calculator to compare a five year run.
Curriculum availability
Beijing's strongest pathway is the IB Diploma, offered at WAB, ISB and Dulwich. British IGCSE and A Level are well represented at Dulwich and BSB Shunyi, with American AP available at ISB and the Keystone Academy. Mandarin language acquisition is unusually strong across the international segment, often three to seven hours per week from Early Years.
Amsterdam is dominated by IB and British curricula. ISA runs the full IB continuum, the British School of Amsterdam runs IGCSE and A Level, and Amity offers a hybrid IB and American programme. Dutch bilingual TTO schools provide an excellent low-cost route from age 12 for families settling longer term. See our IB hub and British curriculum hub for details.
Neighbourhoods families pick
In Beijing, almost all international school families live in Shunyi district, in compounds such as Capital Paradise, Riviera, Quanfa Garden, Beijing Riviera and Yosemite. Three-bedroom villas in these compounds run CNY 35,000 to CNY 75,000 a month, much of which is typically housing-allowance funded. Commute times to WAB, ISB, Dulwich and BSB are 10 to 20 minutes. Sanlitun and the CBD are 45 to 70 minutes away in heavy traffic.
In Amsterdam, international school families typically live in Amstelveen (Buitenveldert, Elsrijk), Amsterdam Zuid, Old South, or in commuter towns Haarlem, Hilversum, Wassenaar and Amstelveen. A family-sized house with a garden runs EUR 3,500 to EUR 6,000 a month in the popular school catchments. Bicycle and public transport infrastructure is excellent, so school runs are often done without a car.
Lifestyle and climate
Beijing offers career scale, low family living costs through housing allowance, and easy travel across Asia. The downsides are air quality, a tightened visa environment for non-Chinese passport holders, and the increasing political distance between China and Western markets. Amsterdam offers a calmer family rhythm, EU mobility, the world's best cycling infrastructure for children, and a Dutch 30 percent ruling tax break that can offset the higher schooling costs. Winters are wet rather than cold, summers are pleasant.
Verdict: who picks which city
Choose Beijing if your employer carries the housing and schooling on package, if you want a major Asia posting with Mandarin acquisition for your children, and if the family is comfortable with shorter average expat tenures of two to four years. It is the stronger pick for senior careers where the financial uplift is material.
Choose Amsterdam if you want long-term EU residency, the 30 percent tax ruling, and a calmer, family-first city. It is the stronger pick for couples planning more than five years in one place, families who want their children educated alongside European peers, and anyone who values cycling, parks and a green family life.
Frequently asked questions
Is Beijing or Amsterdam cheaper for international school families in 2026?
Beijing total costs run roughly 25 percent below Amsterdam at headline level, but premium international school fees and capital levies are 30 to 60 percent higher. The honest answer depends on whether your employer covers housing and schooling. With a typical package, Beijing is cheaper; without one, Amsterdam wins by a wide margin.
Which city has better international schools?
Both have strong markets. Beijing has the deeper premium bench at WAB, ISB and Dulwich. Amsterdam's ISA and British School of Amsterdam are excellent, and the DIPS subsidised sector has no Beijing equivalent. For pure quality at the top, Beijing edges it; for value, Amsterdam wins comfortably.
Is the family visa easier in Beijing or Amsterdam?
Amsterdam is materially easier. The Netherlands highly-skilled migrant visa covers spouses and children quickly, and partners receive open work rights. Beijing's Z visa plus S1 dependant visa is slower, has narrower eligibility, and partners do not receive automatic work rights.
How does language work for international school children in each city?
Beijing international schools run almost entirely in English with strong Mandarin instruction. Amsterdam international schools also run in English, but Dutch is widely spoken and English-only families integrate without difficulty. Both cities suit families who do not speak the local language.
Where do most international school families live in each city?
Beijing families cluster in Shunyi compounds Riviera, Capital Paradise and Yosemite. Amsterdam families pick Amstelveen, Zuid, Old South and the commuter towns Haarlem and Hilversum depending on the school they target.
