I teach at an international school here, so I can give you a good perspective on this, both as an educator and as someone who sees these kids thrive every day.

For English-language instruction, the standout options are:

Ak Lu'um International School has a nature-based, bilingual curriculum with a beautiful jungle campus. It's a special place. Tuition runs $8,000-12,000 USD per year, and there are often waitlists, so apply early. Colegio Ingles follows a British-style curriculum with strong academics, $5,000-8,000 USD per year, and has a really nice mix of expat and Mexican families. Playa del Carmen International Academy offers an American curriculum with small class sizes, $6,000-10,000 USD per year.

If you're open to bilingual Mexican schools (and honestly, for language immersion this is incredible), Colegio Peninsular Rogers Hall is well-established at $3,000-5,000 USD per year. Kids pick up Spanish remarkably fast when they're surrounded by it all day. Instituto Alpes is a Catholic school with solid academics at $2,500-4,000 per year.

A few things I always tell new families: schools here run on the Mexican calendar, August through July. The enrollment fee ("inscripción") is separate from tuition, typically $500-2,000 USD one-time. Uniforms are required almost everywhere, budget about $100-200 USD per year. And transportation by school bus, if you need it, is usually $1,000-2,000 MXN per month.

Almost every school will arrange a tour and a trial day if you ask. I'd really recommend taking advantage of that for at least 2-3 schools before committing.

There's also a growing homeschooling community. The "Homeschoolers Riviera Maya" Facebook group is active, and learning pods and co-ops are becoming popular.

At ages 7 and 10, your kids are at a perfect age for this transition. I've watched hundreds of students come through, and I'm always amazed at how quickly they adapt. The international community here is genuinely welcoming, and the kids tend to make friends faster than their parents do.