City guide

Teach English in Hanoi, Vietnam

Cultural capital with a tighter expat community and four seasons.

Hanoi has fewer ESL jobs than HCMC but lower competition and a different vibe — more historical, less commercial. Tay Ho is the expat neighborhood of choice.

Best for

Teachers preferring history, slower pace, and cooler winters over HCMC's heat and bustle.

Vietnam at a glance

Salary: 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.

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.

Full Vietnam guide →