Speaker A
So, you want to teach English abroad, but you don't know how to do it or where to go.
Explore the 21 best places to teach English abroad, highlighting pay, lifestyle, and cultural insights from Vagabrothers.
Key Takeaways
- Teaching English abroad can be lucrative and culturally enriching but varies greatly by country.
- High-paying countries often come with strict work expectations and cultural challenges.
- Certification requirements like TEFL and degrees differ depending on location and program.
- Lifestyle and integration opportunities vary widely, from urban hubs to rural placements.
- Understanding local customs and legal restrictions is crucial for a successful teaching experience abroad.
Summary
- The video introduces teaching English abroad as a way to travel, pay off debt, and fund adventures.
- Countries are categorized by highest pay, best lifestyle, language learning opportunities, and off-the-beaten-path options.
- South Korea offers high pay, benefits like flight and housing, but requires hard work and language integration is tough.
- Dubai pays $3,000-$4,000 monthly with benefits and job stability but demands experience and adherence to conservative culture.
- Japan’s JET program offers good salary without TEFL but places teachers in rural areas with high living costs in cities.
- Taiwan combines low cost of living with good pay, often no TEFL needed, but teaching methods are traditional and culture can be hard to assimilate.
- Saudi Arabia offers high tax-free salaries and benefits but has strict cultural restrictions, especially for women.
- Singapore provides a safe, diverse environment with high pay and shorter work weeks but requires strong qualifications and strict legal adherence.
- Spain offers a relaxed lifestyle with modest pay through the Auxiliares de Conversación program, suitable for comfortable living on limited hours.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
Don't worry, we're here to help.
Speaker B
I'm Alex.
Speaker A
I'm Marco.
Speaker B
And you are watching Vagabrothers, your go-to guide for travel tips, vlogs, and inspiration here on YouTube.
Speaker A
Before we started this channel, we used to teach English in Spain, an incredibly rewarding experience that allowed us to learn a new language, travel throughout Europe, and turn our passion for travel storytelling into this YouTube channel.
Speaker A
That's because teaching English can be a way to see the whole world, pay off your student debt, and even fund new adventures.
Speaker B
We'll be posting a follow-up video on how to get hired and certified, but in this video, we're going to be showing you the best places to teach English around the world.
Speaker B
Organized by highest paying, best lifestyle, best for learning a new language, plus a couple of off-the-beaten-path locations for the adventurous people out there.
Speaker B
For each country, we'll tell you how much money you can earn, plus if a TEFL is required.
Speaker B
A certificate that costs around one to $2,000 to get and takes about three months.
Speaker A
So, if you find this video helpful, make sure you give it a thumbs up, subscribe to Vagabrothers so you get travel videos every week, and make sure you turn on notifications if you have not already, and last but not least, if you have your own suggestions, put them in the comment section and share this video with your other travel buddies.
Speaker B
Without further ado, these are the best places to teach English around the world.
Speaker A
Okay, so maybe you've just graduated school and you want to travel the world, but unfortunately, you've got a ton of student debt.
Speaker A
Well, the good news is that teaching English in some countries can be an extremely lucrative profession, one that requires very little cost up front and can pay down your debt pretty quickly.
Speaker A
Chances are these are countries that you have not thought about before, so let's kick it off with number one, South Korea.
Speaker B
Despite the threat of nuclear annihilation, South Korea could be one of the best places to teach English in the entire world.
Speaker B
English teachers are in such high demand that both private and public schools will not only pay you a solid salary, they'll cover your flight to Korea, pay for your apartment, and even compensate you for pre-class prep time.
Speaker B
That means if you spend 22 hours a week teaching, you could get paid for up to 40 hours of work, a monthly salary of $2,000, plus a bonus month upon completion of your contract.
Speaker B
Seoul is a really fun, dynamic city, full of great food, and also a great place to base yourself for more exploration of Asia during your time off.
Speaker B
Overall, not a bad gig.
Speaker B
However, as a foreigner, you can really stand out, and integrating into Korean society is very difficult unless you speak the language, which, unfortunately, is pretty hard to learn.
Speaker B
And although you're well paid, you're expected to work hard for your salary, so no photocopying lessons five minutes before class.
Speaker A
Another high-paying choice is Dubai, which also pays well and typically covers your flights, accommodation, and even health insurance for you and your dependents.
Speaker A
Salaries range from $3,000 to $4,000 a month, and contracts last two to three years, which is great for job stability, but not necessarily for the restless.
Speaker A
Also interesting, you can teach other subjects besides English, like math or physics or whatever, so if you really want to pursue teaching as a career back home, this is a good option.
Speaker A
But there are some drawbacks.
Speaker A
As in Korea, you do have to have a bachelor's degree, a TEFL certificate, and two to three years of experience.
Speaker A
School days start early at 7:30 and days are long, and Dubai is a modern city, but the culture is still quite conservative, so make sure you're aware of local customs, especially if you're a woman.
Speaker A
Dubai is pretty expensive, but your salary is often tax-free.
Speaker B
That should help you save up for your next trip.
Speaker B
One of the most popular teaching destinations is Japan, thanks to something known as the JET program, which gives visa and salary to native English speakers.
Speaker B
No TEFL certification required, just a bachelor's degree.
Speaker B
But don't expect the JET program to put you in Tokyo, chances are you're going to end up somewhere very rural and very secluded, you'll probably have a more easygoing lifestyle and have a better chance to integrate yourself into the community.
Speaker B
The salary for the JET program is around $40,000 a year, but Japan is an expensive country.
Speaker B
Especially in bigger cities where the cost of living is quite high.
Speaker B
That being said, you can still save quite a bit of money, and learning Japanese is always a good skill to have.
Speaker A
Taiwan is also popular because of the low cost of living and the high wages, which a lot of teachers say combine to make the best cost of living in Asia.
Speaker A
Plus, you often don't need a TEFL certificate to get a job, you'll most likely find work at a private cram school called a Buxiban, which is where students between 4 and 15 come to learn English.
Speaker A
The pay is good, but a lot of teachers get frustrated with the very traditional form of learning, it's more rote memorization than conversation skills, many Westerners complain that Taiwan can be a hard culture to assimilate into, but on the upside, you're going to learn Mandarin Chinese, which is going to pay dividends in the future.
Speaker A
Plus, Taipei is one of the best foodie cities in all of the world, so as long as you can work your way through a menu with Chinese, you're good.
Speaker B
Perhaps the highest pay and the most culture shock goes to Saudi Arabia, an oil-rich Middle Eastern country that has a high demand for English speakers as the kingdom becomes more globalized.
Speaker B
Teachers at private schools have great benefits, including healthcare and transportation, and are only expected to work around 20 to 25 hours a week.
Speaker B
Most teaching jobs do not require a TEFL certificate.
Speaker B
They do cover accommodation, flight expenses, health insurance, and offer salary bonuses.
Speaker B
Plus, salaries can go up to $4,000 a month.
Speaker B
All tax-free.
Speaker B
However, the culture shock can be hard to swallow, especially if you are a woman, you'd only be able to teach other women, you wouldn't be able to get your own apartment, ride a bike, drive a car.
Speaker B
Actually, I think they just lifted that ban, so, yay.
Speaker B
Or talk to men in public.
Speaker B
On top of that, foreigners all have to live together in special expat compounds.
Speaker B
Plus there's no movie theaters, bars, or nocturnal entertainment, so integrating yourself into Saudi Arabian society is not going to be that easy.
Speaker B
But for those of you willing to accept those conditions, it can be a rare opportunity to live in a society completely different to your own.
Speaker A
Sound like a bit too much?
Speaker A
Why not try Singapore, a prosperous, safe, and extremely diverse country in Southeast Asia.
Speaker A
Singapore used to be a British colony, so English is an official language, but most of the population is comprised of Chinese, Indians, and Malays, all of whom want to practice their English.
Speaker A
The work week is a lot shorter than other Asian countries, about 20-25 hours a week, and Singapore is a great hub for exploring Southeast Asia.
Speaker A
Not to mention, the food is amazing.
Speaker A
But there are some drawbacks.
Speaker A
English is widely spoken, which means you've got some competition.
Speaker A
You're going to need at the minimum a bachelor's degree and TEFL certificate, plus, maybe even a degree in English or some postgraduate work in education.
Speaker A
Pay is high, but contracts are for two years.
Speaker A
And if you break it, you'll be fined.
Speaker A
You'll also be fined if you chew gum, spit, or forget to flush the toilet.
Speaker A
All illegal in Singapore.
Speaker A
But prostitution, surprisingly, is not.
Speaker A
Go figure.
Speaker B
Moving on to the lifestyle destinations, let's move on to Spain, where we taught English for three years.
Speaker B
Using the Auxiliares de Conversación program, which pays you anywhere between 700 to 1,000 Euros a month.
Speaker B
For 12 hours of work a week.
Speaker B
It's not a lot of money, but it's enough to live comfortably.
Speaker B
Plus you have plenty of time to teach private classes on the side, learn Spanish, or to travel around Europe.
Speaker B
Plus, it gives you a visa to live in Europe, which is very difficult for non-EU citizens.
Speaker B
And after three years, you can apply for residency in Spain.
Speaker B
We're going to make a dedicated video about our experience during the Auxiliares de Conversación program, but just know that it gives you a visa to live in Europe, you don't have to work that long, and it's just generally a really good thing to do after college.
Speaker A
France has an almost identical program with one exception, you have to show proof of French classes or get a letter from a French professor.
Speaker A
Which I tried and failed to do.
Speaker A
Put on the map.
Speaker A
Excuse my French.
Speaker A
Much like in Spain, it's a government program that places recent graduates in small provincial towns, which is a great way for you to practice your French and get immersed in the local culture.
Speaker A
You also get a housing stipend, which is a bit more money than you would get in Spain.
Speaker A
France also has opportunities for teaching business English, but if you go outside the program, uh, that I mentioned, the government program, you're going to have a problem getting a visa if you're a non-EU citizen.
Speaker A
And unfortunately, if you're watching from the UK, that now includes you too.
Speaker B
For Asia, the lifestyle choice is clearly Thailand.
Speaker B
Now, you may not be able to save up a ton of money like in Singapore or South Korea, but you're in Thailand, and you can get an hour-long massage for like five bucks, so that's awesome.
Speaker B
It's pretty easy to find a job, and most public schools have two to three months off per year, fully paid.
Speaker B
Which sounds like the perfect opportunity to go and backpack around Southeast Asia.
Speaker A
In Latin America, it's hard to beat Costa Rica.
Speaker A
Epic surf, volcanoes with thermal swimming pools, tons of well-preserved jungles, and a very high demand for English teachers.
Speaker A
But don't start dreaming about living on the beach just yet, most of the jobs are in the Central Valley.
Speaker A
And a lot of schools won't hire you till you're physically in the country.
Speaker A
Furthermore, getting a visa is a long and cumbersome process.
Speaker A
So it's mostly worth it if you plan on staying in Costa Rica for at least one or two years.
Speaker A
But once you get that Pura Vida vibes, it can be pretty easy to happen.
Speaker B
Quindi, vuoi imparare l'italiano?
Speaker B
Of course you do.
Speaker B
We all know you just want to go to Italy, learn a little bit of Italian and find yourself a lot of love.
Speaker B
Well, it's not quite that easy.
Speaker B
Although teaching English in Italy can be.
Speaker B
Italians are not known for their flawless English, which is good for two reasons, it means that there's high demand for English teachers.
Speaker B
And you'll have plenty of opportunities to practice your Italian.
Speaker B
But there are some drawbacks.
Speaker B
If you're an EU citizen, there's quite a few opportunities open to you.
Speaker B
But if you are not, the challenge is going to be getting a visa, a working visa for the EU.
Speaker B
And that's what you'll have to do before you get a teaching job.
Speaker B
Also, the cost of living is quite high in Italian cities.
Speaker B
But if you live in like the countryside, it's not that bad.
Speaker A
Want more of a challenge?
Speaker A
How about learning Mandarin in China?
Speaker A
With over 1.3 billion people, there are literally hundreds of millions of young, ambitious students who want to learn English.
Speaker A
And plenty of opportunities for you to find a job.
Speaker A
Public schools, private academies, business lessons for executives, all in very high demand.
Speaker A
Even better, many schools cover your flights to China, your housing, your TEFL certification, and even some Mandarin lessons.
Speaker A
If you're slaying in English, it's a seller's market, which means you can choose your city pretty easily.
Speaker A
Or just like get situated and change it up after a few months.
Speaker A
But there are some serious downsides.
Speaker A
Class sizes are huge, and in public schools, you're not offered very much support as a teacher.
Speaker A
Plus, the language barrier can make your first couple months, or let's be honest, years, extremely challenging.
Speaker A
But what better way to learn a new language than explain that you desperately need toilet paper?
Speaker A
Ah, immersion.
Speaker A
Best way to learn.
Speaker B
For learning Spanish, there's tons of great options.
Speaker B
But our choice for South America is Chile.
Speaker B
Because it's beautiful, diverse, and it's one of the safest, most economically developed countries in the region.
Speaker B
There's a government-run program called English Opens Doors, which helps place English teachers across the country.
Speaker B
Although most English teachers in Chile tend to work at private schools where there's a bit more opportunity.
Speaker B
Good news is most jobs don't require a TEFL certification, plus you get one paid month off per year.
Speaker B
And you can apply for residency after two years.
Speaker B
Just remember it's pronounced Chile, not chili.
Speaker B
The cost of living in Chile is a little bit more expensive than other South American countries.
Speaker B
But then again, so is the quality of life.
Speaker B
So, it's a bit of a trade-off, but it's probably worth it.
Speaker A
A more unconventional destination is India, a country that has loads to teach the curious traveler.
Speaker A
From Ayurveda to yoga to Hindi, one of the world's most widely spoken languages.
Speaker A
But it's not an ideal location to be a teacher.
Speaker A
Because English is already widely spoken.
Speaker A
British accents are preferred to American.
Speaker A
That means you're most likely to find a job in a call center, coaching locals on how to eliminate their accent.
Speaker A
On the global scale, salaries are really not that high, about $1,000 a month.
Speaker A
But the cost of living in India is quite low, so you can get by.
Speaker A
In sum, India is a great place to get a grasp on one of the world's most important cultures and languages.
Speaker A
But not a place to get rich quick.
Speaker A
At least not teaching English.
Speaker B
To learn Arabic, consider Jordan, a safe, stable kingdom in the heart of the Middle East.
Speaker B
Where English teachers are in increasingly high demand.
Speaker B
It's the perfect opportunity to learn Arabic because English teachers are usually hired as live-in tutors, where you get to live with a local family and have full immersion.
Speaker B
No TEFL required, no bachelor's degree.
Speaker B
Just the ability to speak English.
Speaker B
Beyond that, there are international schools and private academies in Amman, where you can get a more traditional teaching role.
Speaker B
All while soaking up some of the best culture in the Middle East.
Speaker B
And making weekend trips to Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea.
Speaker B
Pretty, pretty solid.
Speaker A
What about learning French?
Speaker A
Well, we already mentioned the excellent program that exists in metropolitan France.
Speaker A
But if you want to expand more of the Francophonic world, consider Lebanon.
Speaker A
The Switzerland of the Middle East.
Speaker A
Home to ski resorts, Roman ruins.
Speaker A
And one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the entire region, Beirut.
Speaker A
Lebanon is a multicultural and multilingual country, where French is spoken alongside Arabic and mixed in with English.
Speaker A
Now, it's almost certainly better to learn French in France.
Speaker A
But this is a cool opportunity to maybe hit two birds with one stone if you're very gifted with languages.
Speaker A
English teachers can be hired in schools or as live-in tutors through programs like GeoVisions Conversation Corps.
Speaker A
Where you get room and board in exchange for 15 hours of work a week.
Speaker A
Not exactly a moneymaker, but what a cool insight to a fascinating country.
Speaker A
Said the obvious, Lebanon is not the most stable country on this list, it's in a bad neighborhood.
Speaker A
It's right next door to Syria, and tensions with Israel flare up from time to time.
Speaker A
As well as internal strife, but given Lebanon's rich blend of ethnicities, languages, and religions.
Speaker A
Adventurous teachers will get an invaluable insight into a complex region.
Speaker B
An important but often overlooked language is Portuguese, and what better place to learn Portuguese than in Brazil?
Speaker B
Brazilians love foreigners and are always stoked on doing a language exchange.
Speaker B
Plus, dating a Brazilian.
Speaker B
If you can ever do that.
Speaker B
You should do that.
Speaker B
Seriously, do that.
Speaker B
Unfortunately, there are no jobs teaching in public schools, which means you're going to have to find jobs at private schools or private tutoring.
Speaker B
Which can be a difficult way to earn a living in big cities like Rio and São Paulo.
Speaker B
Plus getting a visa is a legal nightmare, so what some people have done is get a multi-entry tourist visa.
Speaker B
Which allows you to visit Brazil for up to 90 days at a time over a five-year period.
Speaker B
Not exactly a legal working situation, but hey, people do that all the time, so why not?
Speaker A
For the polar opposite experience, you could try to find a job in Russia, birthplace to one of the world's most widely spoken languages, Russian.
Speaker A
Finding a job in Saint Petersburg and Moscow is relatively straightforward.
Speaker A
The pay is not bad, and you're only expected to work 25 to 30 hours a week.
Speaker A
So, if you can brave a Russian winter, that should give you plenty of time to learn the language.
Speaker A
Maybe even read War and Peace.
Speaker B
Turkey is an excellent place to teach because not only are you living in a beautiful country with incredible mountains and beaches, some of the best food in the world.
Speaker B
And a lively, living culture.
Speaker B
But you can actually stack cash for future travels.
Speaker B
Istanbul is one of the most fascinating cities in the world.
Speaker B
But there are jobs throughout the entire country.
Speaker B
And usually, you don't need a TEFL certificate to get one.
Speaker B
The only major concern is safety.
Speaker B
Unfortunately, Turkey is on the front line in the battle against ISIS, not to mention a refugee crisis and internal strife that resulted in an attempted coup d'état about a year ago.
Speaker B
So do your homework before making your decision and balance those pros and cons.
Speaker A
For something more tropical, look to Indonesia.
Speaker A
A country of 18,000 islands with some incredible scenery.
Speaker A
From blissed-out Bali to the surf breaks of Sumatra.
Speaker A
And the land of Komodo dragons.
Speaker A
But don't expect to live out your Eat Pray Love fantasy in Bali just yet.
Speaker A
Most of the jobs are in Java, which is where the capital Jakarta is.
Speaker A
But the cost of living in Indonesia is quite low, which means you can base yourself in Java, explore the country little by little.
Speaker A
Plus, because Indonesia has so many languages, they created a universal language called Bahasa, which is extremely easy to learn, it's actually one of the easiest languages to learn in the world, so you'll be a native in no time.
Speaker B
Not far from Indonesia is Vietnam.
Speaker B
A country on the rise with a lot to offer travelers and teachers.
Speaker B
Great food, stunning natural scenery, and a great location to explore Southeast Asia.
Speaker B
There's a ton of demand for English teachers across the entire country, but especially in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
Speaker B
So if you're backpacking through Southeast Asia and running low on funds, head to Hanoi and try to get a teaching job.
Speaker B
There's also a number of international schools catering to local elite that pay extremely well and will usually cover your airfare and your accommodation.
Speaker B
So, be on the lookout for those.
Speaker B
To top it all off, the work environment is much more laid back than South Korea, China, or Japan.
Speaker B
You're only expected to work 15 to 25 hours per week, and with the cost of living, you can pretty much pocket around a third of every paycheck.
Speaker A
Last, but certainly not least, Colombia.
Speaker A
The Latin American country that has a bit of everything.
Speaker A
Amazing beaches, vibrant culture, beautiful people, diverse landscape.
Speaker A
And you guessed it, nightlife.
Speaker A
Plus, some great opportunities to teach English.
Speaker A
After years of turbulence, Colombia is finally stable, and a lot of young Colombians are looking to learn English to improve their careers.
Speaker A
Check out the TEC program, it's Teach English in Colombia, it's a program that brings a lot of US recent graduates to Colombia to teach in schools.
Speaker A
There's also plenty of private schools and tutoring options as well.
Speaker A
Now, salaries are not super high, and some people can be frustrated by Colombians' very chill way of life.
Speaker A
But if you're adventurous and you have some patience, I can think of few better places to teach English than Colombia.
Speaker B
Well, there you have it, those were our recommendations on the best places to teach English around the world.
Speaker B
So, if you've taught English abroad, please share your experiences, share your program, etc.
Speaker B
Down there in the comment section.
Speaker B
If you enjoyed it.
Speaker B
You know what to do.
Speaker A
Give it a thumbs up.
Speaker A
Share with your travel buddies.
Speaker A
And subscribe to Vagabrothers if you've not already, we release tons of videos from all around the world every single week, twice a week, sometimes three times a week.
Speaker A
So hit the notifications button as well so you get alerts when we publish a video.
Speaker A
In the meantime, stay curious, keep exploring.
Speaker B
And we will see you Vagabuddies on the road.
Speaker A
Peace.
Speaker B
Peace.
Speaker B
Merch.
Topics:teach English abroadTEFLbest countries to teach EnglishEnglish teaching jobsSouth Korea teachingDubai teaching jobsJET program Japanteaching in TaiwanSaudi Arabia teachingteaching lifestyle abroad
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