10 top teaching English destinations for 2023

There are so many destinations worldwide where you can teach English, and the types of destinations are as varied as people’s destination tastes. Here is a list we chose of 10 places to teach English that are definitely worth considering taking a look at in 2023.

Japan

Japan has emerged from its years of recession with a now buoyant teaching English industry and teaching salaries here can be among the world’s best, with some teachers earning as much as US$5,000 per month. As a new teacher though, you should expect to be earning well below this figure and we conservatively estimate that you can expect a monthly starting salary in the range of US$2,000 – US$3,000. A college degree is mandatory for the work visa, as well as an international TEFL certificate.

Spain

Spain is one of Europe’s most popular countries for studying and teaching in and offers hourly teaching rates of between 15 to 25 Euros. An international TEFL certificate is the main requisite for landing a job here as a college degree isn’t mandatory. The main bulk of teaching work is centered in Madrid and other major cities. Many teachers do choose to teach English in Spain because of the opportunity to learn or further their Spanish. Spain is a vibrant country to teach in and is famous for its legendary cuisine and nightlife.

China

To teach English in China, you are required to have a college degree and international TEFL certificate. In the past five years, there has been a boom in schools providing English as a Foreign Language classes and there is an abundance of work for English teachers. An average teacher’s starting salary comes in at US$2,500 and as in Japan, it is possible to begin earning much more than this figure once you become established. However, where China beats Japan is with its low cost of living, meaning this is a great location to save.

South Korea

To teach English in South Korea, it is mandatory to have a college degree and international TEFL certificate. It is also required that you hold citizenship from a recognized English-speaking nation: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, UK or USA. You can expect to earn a minimum of US$1,800 per month if teaching outside of Seoul and a minimum of around US$2,000 per month if teaching in the capital. South Korea is famous for its sweet and sour kimchi and boasts a fantastic cuisine culture.

The Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is nestled bang centre in the heart of Europe and has – since its Velvet Revolution in 1989 – been a magnet for teachers of English from around the world. The only requirement for teaching English here is that you hold an international TEFL certificate. Wages are a bit on the low side, ringing in on average at around US$15 – US$20 per hour, but the cost of living is relatively low (even in Prague) and its location means that you are spoilt for choice when it comes to weekend trips and holidays.

Vietnam

Vietnam is the new financial tiger powerhouse of Southeast Asia and has seen a huge increase in demand for English teachers over the last few years. When comparing to other Southeast Asian countries, Vietnam offers the best bang for your buck in terms of how much you can earn and how much your daily costs will be. New teachers arriving to Vietnam can expect to be earning up to US$1,700 per month and this means that you can realistically expect to be saving around US$500 per month.

Colombia

Whilst there are more higher paid locations to teach English on the South American continent, Colombia gets our thumbs up because it is a country recovering from years of turmoil. The offshoot of this means that English teachers are now being welcomed with open arms to come and teach here, with only an international TEFL certificate mandatory. The costs to live here are low, the coffee is amazing, the wildlife is breathtaking and the people are generally very friendly. Expect to be earning just under US$1,000 per month.

Taiwan

The average teaching English monthly salary in Taiwan hovers at around US$2,000 – US$2,500 per month, which is pretty good value considering the low cost of living. Mandatory requirements for entry level teaching English jobs are a college degree, international TEFL certificate and a clean criminal record. Native English teachers are given preference to teaching jobs but non-native speakers will also have the opportunity of teaching here. Its location in Asia also makes it a great base for trips around the region.

Thailand

Location number nine is a nod to the Land of Smiles and a gratuitous Thailand beach photo 🙂 Thailand has built up over the years a name for itself in the world of TEFL as being one of the heavyweight places to teach English abroad, and we can’t see that reputation waning anytime soon. Wages vary tremendously depending on where you are teaching, but for Bangkok expect to be earning up to 50,000 – 60,000 Baht per month. The cuisine is awesome, the coastlines breathtaking and those smiles are definitely genuine.

Teaching Online

The last location on this list is basically any location where you have your laptop and access to the internet. Teaching English online is a booming industry and takes away all of the legwork required when looking for teaching work in the traditional form. The other positives are that you can teach wherever suits you best and the hours are often flexible. The only real negative is that you lack a support base which a traditional school provides. You can earn up to US$40 per hour, teaching English online, but starting salaries are usually in the US$20+ per hour range.

Wherever you chose to teach English, make sure to check out the tefl online pro five top tips for travel, over at tefl-online-pro-reviews.com Please note that these two links will redirect you to an exterior website – a blog established by TEFL Online Pro, mainly to respond to business competitor attacks. The Online TEFL/TESOL certification course industry is highly competitive, and some of the less reputable Online TEFL/TESOL programs – the ones that are usually unaccredited – will often spread false information online about their more successful (fully accredited) competitors.