Families arriving in Barcelona overwhelmingly settle in the Zona Alta — Sarrià – Sant Gervasi and Pedralbes — because that is where most of the international schools are, together with neighbouring Esplugues de Llobregat. Outside the city the choices are Sant Cugat, Castelldefels and the Maresme: more space for less money, at the cost of a longer journey. Barcelona's most expensive district, Sarrià – Sant Gervasi, is advertised at an average of €7,155/m² (idealista, July 2026).
Which international schools are there in and around Barcelona?
There are several dozen international schools in Barcelona and its immediate suburbs. Below are ten long-established ones across the main curricula. Fees are quoted only where the school publishes them itself for the 2026/27 year, with a link to the page; where no public price list exists, the entry says so rather than estimating.
| School | Curriculum | Ages | Where | Annual fees 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Franklin International School | American, IB Diploma | 3–18 | Sant Gervasi | €12,950–21,720 + €6,000 one-off |
| American School of Barcelona | American | 3–18 | Esplugues de Llobregat | €14,114–27,062 (PK3 half day €9,404) + capital levy €3,000–6,000 on the family rate (corporate €3,450–6,900) |
| The British School of Barcelona | British, IGCSE, IB Diploma | 2–18 | Sarrià (City), Castelldefels, Sitges, Cabrera de Mar | City €13,190–20,930; other campuses €6,700–19,650 + €3,400 on entry |
| Kensington School | British, IGCSE, A-levels | 3–18 | Pedralbes | on application to the school |
| St. Paul's School | Catalan curriculum with English immersion, dual Bachillerato + American High School diploma | 3–18 | Pedralbes (Av. Pearson) | on application to the school |
| Lycée Français de Barcelone | French (AEFE), baccalauréat | 3–18 | Pedralbes / Sarrià (Bosch i Gimpera) | €6,929–8,104 + €1,500 first registration |
| Deutsche Schule Barcelona | German, Abitur | kindergarten – 18 | Esplugues de Llobregat | about €6,570–6,600 + €2,500–3,000 on enrolment |
| Oak House School | British + Spanish, IGCSE, IB Diploma or Bachillerato | 3–18 | Sant Gervasi | on application (€3,500 enrolment fee) |
| Hamelin-Laie International School | IPC, IB Diploma or Bachillerato | 1–18 | Montgat (edge of the Maresme) | €11,186–15,493 including lunches; boarding €49,272 |
| Agora Sant Cugat International School | IB: PYP, MYP, DP | 4 months – 18 | Sant Cugat del Vallès | on application to the school |
Three things the table cannot show:
- The annual fee is not the whole cost. Lunches, the bus, uniform, examinations and activities are usually billed separately. The American School's bus is €2,035–2,365 a year and lunch €1,700, to give a sense of scale.
- The bottom of each range is usually a part-time nursery place, not a primary-school year. The British School's €6,700 is a half-day toddler place.
- Places. Popular schools carry a waiting list for some year groups, particularly mid-year. Write to admissions as soon as you have settled on the city — before you start looking at property, not after.
Catalonia's state schools are free and good, but they teach in Catalan. For a child arriving with neither Catalan nor Spanish, many families use an international school for the first years and revisit the question later.
Where to live in Barcelona with children
The honest answer is that the school comes first. Most families choose the school, then look for a home within 10 to 15 minutes of it — and because the most sought-after schools sit on the upper side of the city, the family market is the Zona Alta and its surroundings.
| District | Asking price, €/m² | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Pedralbes (within Les Corts) | €8,413 | a house with a garden and privacy; Kensington, St. Paul's, the Lycée Français and the Esplugues schools all close |
| Sarrià – Sant Gervasi | €7,155 | apartments and houses near Benjamin Franklin, Oak House, BSB City |
| Les Corts | €6,743 | a step cheaper, easy access to the Diagonal and out to Esplugues |
| Eixample | €6,630 | central city life; 15–25 minutes by car to the Zona Alta schools |
| Gràcia | €5,675 | real neighbourhood character, cheaper; the schools are a climb uphill |
| Sant Martí | €5,369 | the sea and new build, but far from most international schools |
idealista asking prices, July 2026 — an orientation, not a valuation of any particular property. The full district and quarter table is in what property costs in Barcelona.
Sarrià – Sant Gervasi
The city's most expensive district and the default choice for international families. More greenery, quieter streets, and several international schools within walking distance or a few minutes' drive. Les Tres Torres and Galvany are valued for being close to both schools and services; Sarrià itself keeps the feel of a separate town; La Bonanova is the softer entry price. The quarters are compared in detail in the best neighbourhoods in Barcelona to buy.
Pedralbes and Les Corts
Pedralbes is where you look when the requirement is a house with a garden and the maximum privacy available inside the city. Immediately beyond its edge is Esplugues de Llobregat, with the American School and the Deutsche Schule, while Kensington, St. Paul's and the Lycée Français are in Pedralbes itself or beside it. The rest of Les Corts is cheaper and suits anyone commuting into the business district along the Diagonal.
The suburbs families choose
Outside the city the three regular answers are Sant Cugat, Castelldefels and the Maresme. What you gain is space and a garden for less money; what you pay is time on the train.
Sant Cugat del Vallès
A town on the far side of the Collserola hills, and the choice of families who put the school and a house with a garden first. Agora Sant Cugat runs the full IB programme here, and the FGC lines S1 and S2 run into Barcelona every two and a half minutes at peak, taking 15–20 minutes depending on the station. The average asking price is around €4,960/m² (idealista, spring 2026).
Castelldefels
The coast south of the city, between Barcelona and Sitges, with a campus of the British School of Barcelona. The airport is close, and the R2 Sud train reaches Passeig de Gràcia in about 26–28 minutes. Average asking price around €4,400/m² (idealista, June 2026).
The Maresme
The coast north of Barcelona, where houses with a sea view are advertised at roughly €2,500–3,600/m². Since September 2026 the British School of Barcelona has a new Maresme campus at Cabrera de Mar, and Hamelin-Laie is at Montgat, about 22 minutes from Plaça Catalunya on the R1. The towns and the commute are covered town by town in living in the Maresme.
What does a family home cost to rent?
A three- or four-bedroom apartment in the Zona Alta, or a house in the suburbs, is the top of the rental market, and the price depends heavily on the street and the condition. Current options and prices are on the rental search page.
Many families rent for the first year near the school and buy once they know which neighbourhood actually suits them — which is usually the right order, because the answer often changes after a winter. Properties for sale are under property for sale.
How long is the school run?
Within the Zona Alta, home to school is typically 5 to 15 minutes, and many schools run their own buses. The hard part is the morning peak: the climb from the Eixample or Gràcia up into Sant Gervasi, and getting onto the Ronda and the Diagonal.
Before you sign anything, drive or ride the route at 08:15 on a weekday. It is more honest than any map.
Frequently asked questions
Which Barcelona neighbourhood is best for families with children?
For most international families, Sarrià – Sant Gervasi and Pedralbes: the schools are there, along with greenery and quiet streets. If a house with a garden matters more, and the budget has to stretch further, look at Sant Cugat or the Maresme coast.
How much does an international school in Barcelona cost?
On the published 2026/27 price lists, roughly €6,600 a year at the German school up to €27,062 in the senior years at the American School of Barcelona. Most British and American schools sit between €11,000 and €22,000, plus a one-off entry fee. Lunches, transport and activities are additional almost everywhere.
Are there IB schools in Barcelona?
Yes. The IB Diploma is offered by Benjamin Franklin, the British School of Barcelona, Oak House and Hamelin-Laie, among others, and Agora Sant Cugat runs the full IB programme from primary upwards.
When should we apply to an international school?
As early as you can. The main intake is September and popular schools hold waiting lists for some year groups. Apply before you start looking for a home, then look for the home around the school — not the other way round.
Where can we live in Barcelona with children more affordably?
Inside the city, Gràcia and Sant Martí are cheaper, but they are further from most international schools. Outside it, the Maresme and Castelldefels cost less per square metre — provided the daily journey suits you.
Can our children go to a Catalan state school instead?
They can, and it is free. The teaching language is Catalan, with Spanish alongside it. Children who arrive young generally absorb both; for a teenager arriving with neither, most families use an international school at least for the first years.
Sources
Official directories and data this article rests on. Links checked on 29 September 2026; fees taken from each school's own published page, linked in the table.
- Directoris de centres educatius — Departament d'Educació, Generalitat de Catalunya
- Find a Cambridge school — Cambridge International Education
- Rechercher un établissement — AEFE
- Línia Barcelona–Vallès (S1, S2) — FGC
- Horaris de Rodalies de Catalunya — Rodalies de Catalunya
- Compravendes d'habitatges registrades i preu de venda a Barcelona — Generalitat de Catalunya
Current as of September 2026. School fees and admissions conditions change every year — confirm both directly with the school before making any decision that depends on them.
