Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
Boys make their way to classes at Eton College, England
But the cost of sending a child to private school in the UK has increased massively over the past five years, according to research by Lloyds Bank.
Parents who opt for fee-paying schools can now expect an average bill of £156,000 over their school career.
The highest fees were in London, where the average cost of a private education is £179,000.
Parents in the north can expect to pay significantly less, at £126,000.
The figures were based on a child who entered primary school in 2003 and left in 2016.
Here's the breakdown by region:
ICS (data accurate as of January 2016) / Lloyds
To make matters worse, fees have risen four times faster than average earnings.
This means that the average annual private school fee represents 39% of the average salary of £34,500, making it increasingly difficult for an average earner in most occupations to afford the spiralling cost.
Fees are also rising well above inflation: average annual fees have risen by 21% in the last five years. Currently 7% of children in the UK attend private schools, and that figure hasn't changed in the past five years despite the rising costs.
Sarah Deaves, private banking director at Lloyds Bank, said: "With average annual fees at £13,341 per child and the compulsory school leaving age now 18 years, many families may well feel some strain.
"It has, therefore, become increasingly important that parents, and sometimes grandparents, plan their finances as early as possible if they want a private school education for their children," Deaves said.