At a glance
| Factor | Tokyo | Bangalore |
|---|---|---|
| Average international school fees (secondary) | JPY 3,000,000 to 4,500,000 | INR 6,00,000 to 15,00,000 |
| Dominant curricula | IB, British, American | IB, IGCSE, ICSE and CBSE |
| Cost of living position (Numbeo, May 2026) | Tokyo runs roughly four times as expensive as Bangalore on Expatistan's May 2026 index. Premium international school fees are roughly two to three times higher in Tokyo. | |
| Family visa | Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) plus dependant visas | Indian employment visa plus X dependant visas for family |
| Expat share of population | About 4 percent of central Tokyo | Around 1 percent of the metro |
| Typical relocation timeline | 10 to 14 weeks | 10 to 14 weeks |
Tokyo is an east asia capital with a deep, mature international school market. Bangalore is india's tech capital with a fast-growing ib sector at the best value in the country. The decision is rarely about pure school quality, which is credible in both, and almost always about cost, lifestyle, climate and the family's longer term plans.
Schools landscape side by side
Tokyo's flagships are the British School in Tokyo (BST), the American School in Japan (ASIJ) in Chofu, Tokyo International School in Minato, and Saint Maur International for the Catholic community near Yokohama. BST, ASIJ and TIS all carry waiting lists at senior years and reward early engagement on admissions. See our Tokyo city hub for the full school list.
Bangalore's IB sector has matured fast. Stonehill International School and Canadian International School run the full IB continuum at the premium end. Inventure Academy and Greenwood High deliver dual IB and IGCSE pathways. Trio World Academy, Indus International and Oakridge International cover the broader IGCSE and IB market. Our Bangalore city hub covers the rest of the market.
Not sure which city fits your family?
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
Tokyo sits at JPY 1,800,000 to 3,200,000 for primary and JPY 3,000,000 to 4,500,000 for senior years. Add 10 to 20 percent for capital levies, bus, lunch and trips, which lands you at USD 18,000 to 32,000 all-in per child per year at a top-tier school.
Bangalore sits at INR 3,00,000 to 8,00,000 for primary and INR 6,00,000 to 15,00,000 for senior years. Capital levies, registration, bus and lunch add another 10 to 25 percent, taking the total to USD 4,000 to 18,000 all-in per child per year. Tokyo runs roughly four times as expensive as Bangalore on Expatistan's May 2026 index. Premium international school fees are roughly two to three times higher in Tokyo. Run a five year model with the cost calculator before signing the package, because school fees compound far more than most families expect.
Curriculum availability
Tokyo's anglophone market is built on IB, British, American. Most expat families default to either the IB Diploma or A Levels for the senior years, and almost all premium schools offer at least one of the two. The British and American flagships in Tokyo are well established, with IGCSE and AP options widely available.
Bangalore offers IB, IGCSE, ICSE and CBSE. Families with an international move planned within five years lean toward IB or A Levels because the qualifications travel widely. Families settling longer term often pick a local-international hybrid that anchors the children in the host country while keeping global options open. See our IB hub and British curriculum hub for details.
Neighbourhoods families pick
In Tokyo, international school families cluster in Minato (Hiroo, Azabu, Roppongi), Setagaya (Den-en-chofu, Yoga), Shibuya and Chofu near ASIJ. Expect to spend JPY 350,000 to 1,200,000 a month for a family-sized apartment. Commute times to the major schools sit between 15 and 45 minutes depending on which campus you target.
In Bangalore, the equivalent catchments are Whitefield, Sarjapur, Hebbal, Indiranagar and Koramangala. Rent runs at INR 70,000 to 2,50,000 a month for a family-sized apartment or villa near the international schools. Bangalore's expat presence is small but growing, tied closely to the tech corridor, so it is usually possible to find a family-friendly neighbourhood close to the chosen school without too much trial and error.
Lifestyle and climate
Tokyo's climate is four distinct seasons, hot humid summers and mild winters, occasional typhoons in september. Tokyo has roughly 580,000 foreign residents, concentrated in Minato, Shibuya and Setagaya, so families rarely feel isolated. The big trade-offs are cost and pace of life. An East Asia capital with a deep, mature international school market suits dual-career couples and families who want depth of choice.
Bangalore's climate is year round mild because of elevation, comfortable for families, two monsoon seasons. Bangalore's expat presence is small but growing, tied closely to the tech corridor. The city tends to suit families who want a different balance: more outdoor time, a different professional context, or a strategic step that opens later moves.
Verdict: who picks which city
Choose Tokyo if your assignment carries housing and schooling on package, you want the world's safest megacity, and you value the depth of Tokyo's British, American and IB schools.
Choose Bangalore if you want exceptional value, an English working language, a fast-growing IB sector and a mild year-round climate that suits family life.
For families weighing both, the best next step is to run the school finder quiz for each city, shortlist three schools per side, and pressure-test the package with the cost calculator over a five year horizon. The right answer often becomes obvious once the numbers and the school list sit side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tokyo or Bangalore cheaper for international school families in 2026?
Tokyo runs roughly four times as expensive as Bangalore on Expatistan's May 2026 index. Premium international school fees are roughly two to three times higher in Tokyo. Headline international school fees run USD 18,000 to 32,000 per child per year all-in in Tokyo versus USD 4,000 to 18,000 in Bangalore. The honest answer depends on whether the employer carries housing and schooling.
Which city has better international schools, Tokyo or Bangalore?
Both have credible benches. Tokyo leads with British School in Tokyo and others, Bangalore leads with Stonehill International School and peers. For pure depth at the top, the bigger market usually edges it; for value, the cheaper city usually wins.
Is the family visa easier in Tokyo or Bangalore?
Tokyo uses Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) plus dependant visas. Bangalore uses Indian employment visa plus X dependant visas for family. EU postings are typically faster for EU passport holders, while Asia and Middle East postings depend heavily on employer sponsorship and processing windows.
How does language work for international school children in each city?
In Tokyo, japanese is the daily language. international schools run in english and english-only families integrate well in central wards. In Bangalore, english is the working language in business and at international schools. kannada and hindi are useful for daily life.
Where do most international school families live in each city?
In Tokyo families cluster in Minato (Hiroo, Azabu, Roppongi), Setagaya (Den-en-chofu, Yoga), Shibuya and Chofu near ASIJ. In Bangalore families pick Whitefield, Sarjapur, Hebbal, Indiranagar and Koramangala.
