How Much do ESL Teachers Make in China?

The average monthly wage in China is around $2,800, or 20,000 RMB. Yes, that wasn't difficult at all. However, before you start counting your ill-gotten gains, you should be aware of the wide range of differences across schools and even cities. Both the teaching qualifications and pay in China are difficult to grasp at first.

Chinese cities are ranked according to a tier system

Teaching in China is broken down into three categories depending on the size, economy and general development of a city or town. When looking for a new job, it's vital to bear in mind that the salary you may expect and the benefits you can expect from your new company might differ greatly from city to city.

Tier 1

Cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen

The average monthly cost of living in China is around RMB 7500.

Tier 1 cities in China are some of the most sophisticated, rich, and cosmopolitan in the nation, and they match any developed metropolis on the planet. Comforts like foreign cuisine and Western-style residences may be easily found in these places, but expect to pay more than in other areas.

Tier 2

Cities including as Nanjing, Chengdu, Kunming, Wuhan, and Xiamen are also included on the list.

Around RMB 5000 a month is the average cost of living.

The best way to define Tier 2 cities ‘up and coming’ — these cities have many of the same features as tier 1 but with significantly less recognition. If you're looking for a job in a fast-growing city in China, you'll be able to save a considerable portion of your pay by working in one of these places.

Tier 3

Guilin, Yangzhou and Zhongshan are among the cities that make up China's southern province of Fujian.

Around RMB 3000/month is the average cost of living in the city.

Tier 3 cities trail behind the other tiers in both economic and structural development, but are nevertheless an excellent alternative for people wishing to live inexpensively in an authentic Chinese atmosphere. If you expect a lot of luxury, you'll be disappointed. Housing is basic and specialty food is scarce.

If you’ve looked at even one job in China then you’ve realized that most of them provide more than simply money. Things like lodging, airfare, and year-end incentives are the most well-known, but the specifics of each may vary much like your income.

The good news is that you can always bargain on them if you believe they are unfair or insufficient compared to what other employers are giving. What to anticipate is as follows:

Housing

As long as you are working full time, housing is nearly usually given with a few exceptions, especially firms that promise to pay extra so that you may locate your own accommodation. Generally, accommodation is either provided for you or you are given a stipend and help to acquire your own.

If your school offers housing, excellent, you can stop reading. If your school gives a stipend, you may anticipate it to be anywhere from 1,000-3,000 RMB depending on the location. Deposits and rental agency fees are still required to be paid by the renter, even if this only covers a fraction of their rent.

Flights

There are just a few foreign schools and prestigious universities that provide students the opportunity to fly for free as part of their year-end bonuses. Most of the time, if not always, when you apply for these employment, you'll be offered relocation assistance for you and your family.

Bonus

A bonus in China may be anything from a stipend to a free plane ticket, therefore I recommend making it an essential part of any employment offer. At the conclusion of your contract, you'll often get a bonus of 75% to 100% of your monthly wage (basically one-month extra pay).

There are many schools out there that do not provide incentives at all, but the premise remains the same: bonuses are fantastic and you should make sure one is included in your contract before you sign.