Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - It used to be that Puerto Vallarta was primarily a retirement or vacation home destination for foreigner buyers, but with the rise of "digital nomads," more and more families who work in technology-based industries which allow them to work from anywhere in the world, are choosing to raise their children here.

There are numerous reasons why raising children in Puerto Vallarta is appealing... the ability for children to learn an new language and culture; many parents feel that there is less materialistic influence here; an affordable cost of living meaning parents can work less and dedicate more hours to quality family time... but a major reason is the high quality of private school education available in Puerto Vallarta.

Private schools in the Banderas Bay area offer both English language curriculum and follow the Mexican Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) curriculum. Tuition fees can vary widely, based on the school, starting as low as 2,000 pesos per month and running up to around 10,000 pesos per month, depending on the school and its amenities.

However, parents should not feel that the quality of education is only determined by the cost of the tuition. It's important to tour local schools to find the one that best fits your child's needs, as well as your budget.

Tuitions generally increase as children reach higher grade levels, which are split as follows:

Kinder 1, 2, 3: (Kinder 1 starts children at age 3 but is not mandatory. The SEP requires that children begin school at age 4 in Kinder 2)

Primaria Baja: Grades 1, 2 and 3

Primaria Alta: Grades 4, 5 and 6

Secundaria: Grades 7, 8 and 9

Prepatoria: Grades 10, 11 and 12

With registration season now upon us, this is the ideal time to start interviewing schools to find the one that is the best fit for your family.

Generally, the feeling among foreign families living in Puerto Vallarta is that the quality of education found here is equal, if not better, to education in their countries of origin, with the added benefit of giving their kids the opportunity to become fluently bilingual. It's just another reason why living in PV is a great option for families.