According to the 2011 HSBC Expat Explorer Survey the level of an expats' salary seems to be a big deciding factor in the type of schools their children attend, with expats in countries ranking higher in the Expat Economics league table for income such as Singapore (2nd), Hong Kong (6th) and the UAE (13th) more likely to send their children to an international school (73%, 72% and 81% respectively vs 50% average) and pay more for their children's education (average of $20,122, $12,773 and $10,833 respectively).
These figures are much higher than those for countries who rank lower in the Expat Economics income league table such as France (26th, 31%) and the Netherlands (29th, 33%). These countries are much more likely to send their children to local schools (58% and 51% respectively) and consequently on average pay less for their education ($6,780 and $6,417).
Pro
What the survey found was that expats in countries with typically higher levels of international school attendance (such as Singapore 49%, Hong Kong 48%, UAE 45%) are no more likely to say their child's social integration has improved since relocating than those with typically lower education costs and greater local school attendance (France 41%, Netherlands 46%).
Con
However expats in these countries are also less likely to say their children are adapting well to life in their new home (Singapore 74%, Hong Kong 78%, UAE 79%) than those in countries with typically lower education costs and greater local school attendance (France 90%, Netherlands 86%)
