What English teachers earn, by country

Language institutes: 1.8M to 3M COP per month. Universities: 2.5M to 4.5M COP. Corporate contracts: 30k to 60k COP per hour. Cost of living is among the lowest in popular ESL markets.

Who it suits: Teachers who want Latin American immersion, a low cost of living, and access to a growing market. Pay is modest but lifestyle is rich.

Visa: TP-4 visa for sponsored teaching positions. Many teachers also use the digital nomad visa or remain on tourist visas while doing private classes informally.

Private institutes: 700 to 1,200 USD per month. Corporate and international-school roles: up to 2,000 USD with credentials. Cost of living is higher than most of Latin America, so saving is limited.

Who it suits: Teachers who want a safe, nature-rich Latin American base and value lifestyle over saving money.

Visa: Many teachers work on a tourist entry and renew it with border runs, especially at institutes that hire informally. Formal work permits exist but are employer-sponsored and slower. A degree is not always required, but a TEFL certificate is expected.

Language schools: 12k to 22k MXN per month. Business English contracts: 250 to 400 MXN per hour. Universities: 18k to 30k MXN per month. Cost of living is low enough that most teachers live comfortably.

Who it suits: Teachers wanting Latin America experience, Spanish immersion, and proximity to the US. Not a market for high savings.

Visa: Many teachers work informally on tourist visas, though this is technically not allowed. Legal employment uses the Temporary Resident visa with work permission, which the school sponsors.

Language centers: 900 to 1,500 USD per month. Better private schools: 1,500 to 2,200 USD. International schools with credentials: 2,500 USD and up. Rent for a modern one-bedroom runs 300 to 500 USD.

Who it suits: Teachers without a degree, career changers testing the field, or anyone who wants a low-barrier, low-cost base in Southeast Asia.

Visa: Enter on an e-class (business) visa, then extend it 6 or 12 months through an agent. No degree is legally required, though a 120-hour TEFL certificate is expected by most reputable schools and a degree unlocks the better-paying jobs.

International schools: 25k to 45k RMB per month. Training centers: 18k to 30k RMB. Public schools: 12k to 22k RMB. Universities: 10k to 20k RMB with long vacations. Most contracts include housing or stipend.

Who it suits: Experienced teachers who want to maximize savings. Two years of teaching in China can clear 30k USD in savings if you live carefully.

Visa: Z visa. Requires bachelor's, two years of post-graduation work experience, a 120-hour TEFL, and a notarized criminal record check. Citizenship from one of seven native English countries is standard. Age cap of 60 is typical.

JET: 3.36M JPY for first year, scales up year over year. Eikaiwa: 250k to 280k JPY per month. ALT dispatch: 230k to 270k JPY per month. Cost of living outside Tokyo is reasonable.

Who it suits: Teachers committed to staying multiple years and learning Japanese. The pay does not stretch as far as Korea, but career stability and quality of life are high.

Visa: Instructor visa or Specialist in Humanities visa. Bachelor's required. Native English speaker preference for most roles. JET requires application by November for the following August start.

Public schools: 2.0M to 2.7M KRW per month with housing. Hagwons: 2.1M to 2.8M KRW with housing or stipend. Universities: 2.3M to 3.5M KRW with shorter contact hours.

Who it suits: First-time teachers who want a structured contract with housing handled. Korea's system is the most beginner-friendly path into ESL.

Visa: E-2 visa for most roles. Requires a bachelor's degree, a clean criminal record check, and citizenship from one of seven approved countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa). A 120-hour TEFL certificate is standard, sometimes required.

Buxibans: 600 to 750 NTD per hour, with most teachers working 20 to 30 hours per week. Public schools (FET): 60k to 75k NTD per month. International schools: 80k to 130k NTD per month.

Who it suits: Teachers who want urban Asia with cleaner air than mainland China, excellent food, and a culture that respects educators.

Visa: Work permit through the employer, then ARC (Alien Resident Certificate). Bachelor's required, 120-hour TEFL strongly preferred. Native English speaker preference for most roles.

Government schools: 30k to 45k THB per month. Bilingual schools: 45k to 70k THB. International schools: 80k to 150k THB. Language centers pay hourly, 400 to 700 THB per hour.

Who it suits: Teachers prioritizing lifestyle, climate, and travel access. Not optimal if your goal is paying off student loans fast.

Visa: Non-Immigrant B visa converted to a work permit. Bachelor's required. TEFL certificate strongly preferred and required for the teacher license. Many teachers start on a tourist visa and convert after hiring.

Language centers: 1,400 to 2,200 USD per month. International schools: 2,500 to 4,500 USD. Pay is hourly for most center jobs, in the 18 to 25 USD per hour range. Cost of living is low enough that most teachers save 600 to 1,000 USD per month.

Who it suits: Teachers who want flexible hours, a strong expat community, and a low cost of living. Hanoi and HCMC are very different cities — pick deliberately.

Visa: Work permit and temporary residence card. Requires bachelor's, 120-hour TEFL, criminal record check, and a health check. Native speaker preference but non-native teachers with a bachelor's in English or education are increasingly hired.

Language schools: 25,000 to 40,000 CZK per month. Freelance and corporate rates: 350 to 600 CZK per hour. Prague rent is the main expense; saving is modest, and most teachers come for the lifestyle.

Who it suits: Teachers who want to live in a beautiful European capital with a big expat community, and are comfortable freelancing.

Visa: EU and UK-settled citizens work freely. Non-EU teachers most often set up a zivno (zivnostensky list) trade license and work as freelancers, which is the standard route into the Prague market. A degree and CELTA/TEFL make you far more employable.

Language schools: 4,000 to 6,500 PLN per month. Corporate and freelance business English: 70 to 130 PLN per hour. Saving is modest, but the lifestyle and central-Europe travel are the draw.

Who it suits: EU passport holders, and non-EU teachers with a CELTA who want a European base with real corporate demand.

Visa: EU and UK-settled citizens can work freely. Non-EU teachers need a work permit sponsored by an employer plus a national (type D) visa or residence card, which is harder to secure than in Asia. A degree and CELTA/TEFL are effectively required for sponsorship.

Auxiliares: 700 to 1,000 EUR per month for 12 to 16 hours per week. Language academies: 1,200 to 1,800 EUR. Private classes: 15 to 30 EUR per hour. Most teachers combine sources to reach 1,500 to 2,200 EUR.

Who it suits: Teachers prioritizing lifestyle, language exposure, and access to Europe over savings. This is not a market you save in.

Visa: EU citizens can work freely. North Americans typically use the Auxiliares student visa or, increasingly, the Spanish digital nomad visa for remote work plus side teaching. UK citizens now need a visa post-Brexit.

Year-round language schools: roughly 20,000 to 28,000 GBP per year, or 15 to 25 GBP per hour on a part-time contract. Summer residential posts: commonly 350 to 600 GBP per week with accommodation and meals included. University pre-sessional EAP: the best-paid track, typically well above the language-school rate, and normally requiring a DELTA or a master's.

Who it suits: Teachers who already hold the right to work in the UK, and Youth Mobility Scheme holders who want a summer of paid classroom hours with housing included.

Visa: This is the deciding factor, and for most non-UK teachers the answer is no. English language teaching is not a role UK language schools generally sponsor: the Skilled Worker visa needs a licensed sponsor and a salary threshold that EFL pay usually sits below, so a job offer alone is not a route in. In practice the people who teach here already have the right to work: British and Irish citizens, settled or pre-settled status, a Youth Mobility Scheme visa (a two-year working visa for 18 to 30 or 35 year olds from a fixed list of countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan), the Graduate route after studying in the UK, a UK Ancestry visa for Commonwealth citizens with a UK-born grandparent, or a family visa. Check your own eligibility on gov.uk before you count on any of it.

University foundation programs: 12k to 22k SAR per month tax-free. Aramco and military contracts can exceed 25k SAR. Housing, transportation, and an annual flight home are standard.

Who it suits: Experienced teachers committed to a 1-2 year stint with explicit savings goals. Single male teachers have the easiest path; family-friendly compounds exist for those bringing dependents.

Visa: Employment visa, sponsored by the institution. Master's degree often required. Process is slow — 3 to 6 months from offer to arrival is common.

K-12 licensed teachers: 12k to 22k AED per month, often with housing or 50k to 90k AED yearly housing allowance. Adult ESL at universities and centers: 8k to 14k AED. Add airfare, end-of-service gratuity, and health insurance to most packages.

Who it suits: Credentialed teachers with K-12 experience who want to maximize savings. Not a starter market.

Visa: Employment visa sponsored by the school. Requires attested degree, criminal background check, and medical exam. Process takes 4 to 8 weeks.