At a glance
| Factor | London | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Average international school fees (secondary) | GBP 23,000 to 38,000 (USD 29,000 to 48,000) | EUR 18,000 to 44,000 (USD 19,500 to 47,800) |
| Dominant curricula | GCSE/A-Level, IB, American | IB, British, European Schools, American |
| Cost of living vs London | Baseline | About 20 to 30 percent lower on rent |
| Family visa | Skilled Worker / Global Talent / Family | EU Blue Card / single permit |
| Income tax for residents | Up to 45 percent | Up to 50 percent |
| Languages of instruction | English (overwhelmingly) | English, French, Dutch, German |
London offers the deepest English-language school market in the world, with crushing competition and equally crushing prices. Brussels offers a smaller market but multilingual depth, the European Schools network and a materially cheaper daily life. The right answer depends on whether you want global scale or European compactness.
Schools landscape side by side
London hosts roughly 150 private schools across Greater London, with a smaller cluster of dedicated international schools led by ACS International Schools (Cobham, Hillingdon, Egham), Southbank International School, ICS London, the International Community School, TASIS England and Marymount International. Beyond this, the city's British independent schools (Westminster, St Paul's, City of London, Highgate, Latymer Upper) draw expat families who want the British school brand without an international wrapper. The IB Diploma is offered at around 30 London schools.
Brussels has a tighter market of around 15 international schools, dominated by the British School of Brussels (BSB), the International School of Brussels (ISB), St John's International, the European Schools network (four schools serving 13,000-plus pupils under a unique multilingual curriculum) and BEPS. The EU institutional ecosystem feeds the European Schools, where children of EU staff are guaranteed places. Private capacity is tight, especially at BSB and ISB.
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Take the 5 minute school finder quiz, then run the cost calculator for both cities. You get shortlisted schools plus a side by side relocation budget in under ten minutes.
Fees and value for money
London top-tier independent fees (Westminster, St Paul's) hit GBP 32,000 to 38,000 (USD 40,000 to 48,000) for senior years, plus 5 to 8 percent annual increases that have outpaced inflation. ACS Cobham's senior fees sit at GBP 32,000 to 35,000. Most London independents also added 20 percent VAT to fees in January 2025, which has reshaped affordability calculations for expat packages.
BSB charges EUR 34,400 to 44,015 for senior years, with no debenture, no campus fee and free enrichment activities. ISB sits at EUR 28,000 to 38,000 with a EUR 8,000 to 10,000 capital fee at entry. The European Schools are tuition-free for children of EU institutional staff and EUR 4,000 to 12,000 per year for other categories, which is uniquely cheap for the curriculum quality on offer. Use the fees tool to compare both cities net of VAT.
Curriculum availability
London offers GCSE and A-Level as the default, with IB Diploma at around 30 schools and American AP at TASIS and ACS. Brussels offers the IB Diploma at ISB, BSB and St John's; British IGCSE and A-Level at BSB; and the European Baccalaureate at the European Schools, which is recognised by every EU university plus Oxbridge and the major US universities. Brussels is genuinely multilingual at school level; London is not.
Neighbourhoods families pick
London school families cluster in Kensington and Chelsea, Notting Hill, St John's Wood and Marylebone for central schools; Wimbledon and Putney for King's College School and Wimbledon High; and Hampstead and Highgate for North London independents. A four-bedroom family rental in zone 1-2 runs GBP 6,000 to 18,000 per month (USD 7,600 to 22,800).
Brussels expat families concentrate in Ixelles and Saint-Gilles for urban living near ISB shuttle routes, Tervuren and Wezembeek-Oppem for proximity to BSB, Uccle and Watermael-Boitsfort for European Schools families, and Woluwe for newer family stock. A four-bedroom house in these areas runs EUR 2,200 to 4,500 per month (USD 2,400 to 4,900), roughly a third of London for comparable space.
Lifestyle and climate
London is global, dense, multicultural and 24/7, with the cultural depth that comes from being a 9 million person capital. The flip side is cost, commute time and pressure. Brussels is compact (1.2 million people), trilingual, easy to live in by car or metro, and 80 minutes from London or Paris by train. Weather is similar (cool, grey, wet half the year). Healthcare is excellent in both, with Belgian healthcare slightly easier to access on temporary visas than the NHS register-and-wait model. Brussels wins on cycle infrastructure and family quality of life; London wins on cultural and career breadth.
Verdict: who picks which city
Choose London if your career or your child's university trajectory pulls you toward the UK, you want the world's deepest private school market, and you can absorb the post-VAT fee increases. It also suits families who want the option of British boarding schools within a one-hour drive.
Choose Brussels if you work in or around the EU institutions, NATO or pan-European business, you want the European Schools or BSB at a fraction of London cost, and you value genuine multilingual education for your children. It is a quieter, more livable family city than London by most measures.
Run both through the cost calculator. London is roughly 30 to 50 percent more expensive on a like-for-like family basket once fees, housing and tax are netted. Brussels delivers a cleaner work-life split for most international school families.
Frequently asked questions
Does the UK's VAT on private school fees apply to international schools in London?
Yes. From January 2025, all private school tuition in the UK attracts 20 percent VAT. ACS, Southbank, TASIS and Marymount are all affected. Some schools absorbed part of the increase; most passed it through to families.
Are the European Schools in Brussels open to non-EU staff families?
Yes, as Category III pupils, subject to capacity. Fees range from roughly EUR 4,000 to EUR 12,000 per year, which is materially cheaper than BSB or ISB. Admission for Category III is competitive and depends on year group and language section.
How does the IB compare across the two cities?
London has around 30 IB World Schools, with strong programmes at ACS, Southbank, ICS and Sevenoaks (Kent, just outside). Brussels has the IB at ISB, BSB and St John's. Both offer top-tier IB outcomes; Brussels has fewer options but excellent depth at the schools that offer it.
What is the language requirement at Brussels international schools?
BSB, ISB and St John's teach in English with EAL support, so children can join without French. European Schools require children to enter a language section (English, French, German, Dutch and others), with second-language exposure built in from primary.
Which city has better access to British boarding schools?
London, comfortably. Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Wellington, Charterhouse and 200-plus other senior boarding schools sit within a 60 to 90 minute drive. Brussels families do also use UK boarding via Eurostar, with weekly boarding gaining popularity post-COVID.
