Where Should You Teach English?
Where should you teach English?
Tap what matters most to you and watch the world reshuffle. Real salaries, real savings, real hiring windows, all checked against official sources.
What matters most to you?
Region
Sort by
Every destination at a glance
The same 24 routes as the cards above, as a plain table you can scan or search. Salaries are typical monthly ranges for a qualified teacher in local currency and approximate US dollars, checked against official programme and recruiter sources on 7 August 2026. Confirm the current figure on the official source before applying.
| Destination | Region | Pay (USD) | In local currency | Savings / month | Requirements | Hiring window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE / Dubai | Middle East | $2,450–4,100 tax free | AED 9,000–15,000/mo | $1,500–2,500/mo | Degree + licence/experience | Year-round (tax free) |
| Hong Kong | Asia | $2,300–3,850 | HK$18,000–30,000/mo | Modest, high costs | Degree, often licence | Hiring now |
| Qatar | Middle East | $2,200–3,570 tax free | QAR 8,000–13,000/mo | $1,200–1,800/mo | Degree + experience | Year-round (tax free) |
| China | Asia | $2,050–3,425 | RMB 15,000–25,000/mo | $600–1,500/mo | Required | Hiring now |
| Kuwait | Middle East | $2,100–3,250 tax free | KWD 650–1,000/mo | $1,000–1,800/mo | Degree + licence | Year-round (tax free) |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | $2,130–3,200 tax free | SAR 8,000–12,000/mo | $1,200–2,000/mo | Degree, often licence | Year-round (tax free) |
| Oman | Middle East | $1,820–3,120 tax free | OMR 700–1,200/mo | $1,000–1,800/mo | Degree required | Year-round (tax free) |
| Taiwan | Asia | $1,950–2,850 | NT$62,720–91,420/mo | $500–1,000/mo | Required | Rolling |
| Japan | Asia | ~$27,000/yr | ¥4.02M/yr | $340–680/mo | Required | Opens Sep |
| South Korea | Asia | $1,550–2,050 | 2.1–2.8M KRW/mo | $385–770/mo | Required | Open (Spring 2027) |
| Vietnam | Asia | $1,200–2,000 | $1,200–2,000/mo | 40–60% of pay | Degree + TEFL | Hiring now |
| Online | Online | $10–25+/hr | $10–25+/hr | Depends on your base | Not always required | Always open (no-degree route) |
| Czech Republic | Europe | $1,050–1,700 | CZK 25,000–40,000/mo | Lifestyle, modest | No degree needed | Aug–Sep intake (no-degree route) |
| Poland | Europe | $1,000–1,750 | PLN 4,000–7,000/mo | Modest | Degree usually | Aug–Sep intake |
| Cambodia | Asia | $1,000–1,500 | $1,000–1,500/mo | Good vs low costs | Not always required | Rolling (no-degree route) |
| Turkey | Europe | $800–1,500 | $800–1,500/mo | Modest | Degree + TEFL | Aug–Sep intake |
| Thailand | Asia | $700–1,550 | ฿25,000–55,000/mo | $300–600/mo | Usually required | Sep–Oct intake |
| Indonesia | Asia | $700–1,500 | $700–1,500/mo | Good vs low costs | Degree + TEFL | Rolling |
| Spain | Europe | $870–1,090 | €800–1,000/mo | Lifestyle, not saving | Required | Reopens 2027 |
| France | Europe | $870–970 | €800–900/mo | Lifestyle, not saving | Required | Opens Nov |
| Colombia | Latin America | $700–1,000 | $700–1,000/mo | Modest, low cost of living | Degree + TEFL | Rolling |
| Georgia | Europe | $600–1,000 | $600–1,000/mo | Modest | No degree needed | Rolling (no-degree route) |
| Mexico | Latin America | $600–1,000 | $600–1,000/mo | Lifestyle, low cost | No degree needed | Rolling (no-degree route) |
| Chile | Latin America | $600–1,000 | $600–1,000/mo | Lifestyle | Degree or TEFL | Feb–Mar intake |
Questions before you choose a country
Where do English teachers earn the most?
The highest cash pay is in the Gulf, where the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman run roughly $1,800 to $4,100 a month and it is tax free, usually with housing. East Asia follows: China, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea pay around $1,550 to $3,850, often with free or subsidised housing. Use the "Top salary" and "Save the most" filters above to rank all 24 routes.
Which countries let you teach English without a degree?
Several. Cambodia, the Czech Republic, Georgia and Mexico do not legally require a bachelor's degree, and teaching online is open to non-degree holders on many platforms. Tap "Start without a degree" above to see just those routes. A recognised TEFL certificate is expected almost everywhere and widens your options.
Where can you save the most money teaching English?
The best savers are the Gulf states (tax free pay plus subsidised housing) and China and South Korea (free apartment and airfare on public programmes). Vietnam offers strong real savings for Southeast Asia because pay is decent and living costs are low. Southern Europe and much of Latin America are lifestyle destinations where you live well but save little.
Which countries are hiring English teachers right now?
Year-round or currently active markets include China, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Gulf states, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Colombia and Mexico, plus online teaching which is always open. Government programmes such as Japan's JET, France's TAPIF and Spain's language assistant scheme run to a fixed calendar. Use the "Hiring right now" filter and the Departure Board for live windows and deadlines.
Get the next opening before everyone else
The Departure Board is our fortnightly briefing on who is hiring, what it pays, and which deadlines are about to close. Free, and subscribers see it first.
Every claim on this page follows our Editorial Charter.