Comparison
Teach English in South Korea vs China
New teacher debating starting in Korea vs. waiting two years to qualify for higher pay in China.
Korea is the most beginner-friendly market in Asia; China pays the most for experienced teachers. Korea takes new graduates through public school programs like EPIK. China requires two years of post-graduation work experience and rewards it with significantly higher pay, especially at international schools.
South Korea
EPIK, hagwons, and university roles. E-2 visa support is standard.
Salary
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.
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.
Best for
First-time teachers who want a structured contract with housing handled. Korea's system is the most beginner-friendly path into ESL.
China
International schools, training centers, and universities. Pay is the highest in Asia.
Salary
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.
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.
Best for
Experienced teachers who want to maximize savings. Two years of teaching in China can clear 30k USD in savings if you live carefully.
Open positions, side by side
South Korea
Dongwhanara Kindergatrten Full time Position from July
Donghwanara Kindergarten · South Korea
Direct hire : Native/Gyopo teacher, FULL-TIME(2~7pm),Starting ASAP(Cheongju)
EiE techno campus · Songjul-dong, Cheongju, South Korea
HIGH PAYING JOBS ACROSS MAJOR CITIES IN SOUTH KOREA. HONEST, EXPERIENCED RECRUITERS YOU CAN RELY ON,
AMS Korea · South Korea
2.8M won salary, work only from 11am-7pm, teaching older students at a very reputable school, not franchised school in Shinchon, the center of Seoul
PlanetESL Recruiting · South Korea
EnglishChannel_guro_since2007 (Full/Part, Guro/Seoul, ~3.6M KRW, Adult, 26.08~, Airfare/Housing Support) One-on-One(1:1) Adult English conversation teacher
EnglishChannel Guro-center · EnglishChannel-Guro center(Seoul, Guro)
Native teachers - Suwon
Francis Parker Gwanggyo · South Korea
China
Hangzhou Primary school ESL English teacher
Hangzhou Haicheng Education · Qiantang district, Hangzhou, China
High paid teaching openings from a first class international school in Shanghai, China
Start Consulting · China
20-30k monthly. Kindergarten, primary school, middle school and high school English teachers,art teachers needed in Hangzhou,Suzhou,Beijing,Kunming,Changsha, Chengdu, Yiwu, Taizhou and Wuhan
Lianheng Xiaomei (Wuhan) Enterprise Management Consulting Co., Ltd. · Beijing, China
TEFL Teacher in China
Xinxiang Education · China
English Teacher – China | Graduate & Experienced | Visa Sponsored
China Link ESL · Manchester, Greater Manchester, GB
English Teacher – China | Graduate & Experienced | Visa Sponsored
China Link ESL · Stanley, Durham, GB
Common questions
South Korea
Do I need to speak Korean to teach in Korea?
No. Most schools want monolingual English in the classroom. Picking up basics for daily life helps but is not a hiring requirement.
South Korea
When is hiring season?
Public schools (EPIK) recruit in two main intakes for March and September starts. Hagwons hire year-round but the biggest wave is February to April.
China
Is online teaching of Chinese students still possible?
Not for K-9 students inside China. Adult-focused online teaching to Chinese learners through global platforms is allowed but pays much less than the old VIPKid era.
China
What's the salary difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities?
Tier 1 (Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou) pays 30 to 50 percent more, but cost of living absorbs much of that. Tier 2 cities often have better savings rates.