School costs in Europe – level 2
02-09-2025 07:00
Families in Europe pay more and more for school, and in many countries the costs grow faster than inflation.
Textbooks are usually the most expensive part. In Spain, books account for more than 70% of the total, and in Italy, parents must buy new editions, which makes the situation harder.
German families face very high prices, around 3,600 euros a year, with school trips costing about 2,000 euros. In the UK, costs are over 2,600 euros, and they grew by 30% in two years. Meals and snacks are the biggest part of the increase, while uniforms are still expensive.
France is different. Families there spend only 211 euros a year. This is because children get free textbooks, and the state pays an extra 450 euros for every pupil.
Difficult words: inflation (rise in prices), edition (a version of a book), pupil (a young student).
You can watch the original video in the Level 3 section.
Why do families in France spend only 211 euros a year on school expenses?
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