Every year, Asia continues to be a top teaching destination for teachers abroad, offering a wide array of career opportunities for both ESL and certified teachers.
Right now, schools across Asia are actively recruiting new teachers for teaching jobs in Asia for the upcoming school year.
While teaching in Asia is an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, teachers need do their research carefully before applying for teaching jobs abroad.
To help you get started, we’ve compiled some helpful information on the best places to teach abroad in Asia: China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore, including average teacher salary, benefits, typical start-up costs, cost of living, as well as the most popular areas to find teaching jobs in each country.
| Country | Average Teacher Salary | Benefits | Start-up Costs | Cost of Living | Teaching job hot spots (urban/rural) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 10,000 – 13,000 RMB (approx. $1,500 – 2,500 USD) | Airfare, housing allowance, vacation time, health insurance | Initial daily expenses | Low | Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen |
| Japan | ¥250,000 – ¥300,000 (approx. $2,200 – 2,625 USD) | Airfare, health insurance, end-of-contract bonus | Initial daily expenses | Low in rural areas | Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, as well as rural areas |
| South Korea | 1.8 – 3.0 million KRW (approx. $1,500 – 2,600 USD) | Airfare, 50% health insurance, contract completion bonus, rural placement bonus | Initial daily expenses | Medium in urban areas | Seoul, Pyeongchon, Songpa, as well as rural areas |
| Taiwan | NT 40,000 – 62,000 (approx. $1,260 – 1,900 USD) | Airfare, health insurance, housing allowance | Initial daily expenses | Very low | Taipei |
| Thailand | $800 – 1,200 USD | Airfare, health insurance | Housing, initial daily expenses | Very low | Bangkok, Chang Mai |
| Singapore | $4,500 SGD (approx. $3,170 USD) | Airfare, relocation allowance | Housing | High in urban areas | Singapore |
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