Comparison
Teach English in South Korea vs Japan
First-time teacher choosing between the two most structured ESL markets in the world.
The two most asked-about ESL destinations in East Asia. Korea pays better and has more housing support; Japan offers a longer-term career path and a quieter lifestyle. Both require a bachelor's degree and citizenship from one of the seven approved native-English countries.
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.
Japan
JET, eikaiwa chains, and ALT positions. Pay is steady, vacation is short.
Salary
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.
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.
Best for
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.
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
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.
Japan
JET vs eikaiwa vs ALT dispatch — which should I apply to?
JET if you can wait 9 months for a placement and want a public school role with full benefits. Eikaiwa if you want to start within 60 days and are okay with evening hours. ALT dispatch is the fallback when you are already in Japan and need work.
Japan
Can I save money teaching in Japan?
Less than in Korea or the Gulf. Most teachers cover living costs comfortably and save 30k to 80k JPY per month outside Tokyo.