What's in this guide
- Summary: what this guide covers
- How to use this page (methodology)
- Typical salary examples by programme / employer
- Typical monthly cost-of-living examples (city reference paragraphs)
- How to compare a salary offer with local costs (practical checklist)
- Special cautions
- Quick reference list (country / programme — published figure — main cost comment — source)
- Further reading & official sources
- What we don't know / data gaps (do not invent)
- Update log / corrections
- Sources
This guide compares typical published teacher pay with local cost references and flags practical cautions for candidates considering teaching abroad. Figures and links were checked on 27/09/2026; confirm programme and embassy pages before deciding.
Summary: what this guide covers
This page lists published salary or stipend figures from major public programmes and pairs them with city cost indices used for rapid budgeting. It highlights benefits that appear on programme pages, notes what is and is not verified, and includes an explicit data‑gap section. Last checked: 27/09/2026. Standard warning: “Visa, work-permit and salary rules change often; confirm with the embassy or the official programme” (consult 27/09/2026).
How to use this page (methodology)
Scope: public programmes (EPIK, JET, Auxiliares) and representative city cost indices (Numbeo and selected expat guides). Every published monetary figure on this page is linked to the primary page where it appears and dated 27/09/2026.
Currency convention: salaries are cited in their local currency as shown by the programme. Cost indices are cited from Numbeo or the named local guide and reported in the city/country pages consulted on 27/09/2026. When a programme page reports an amount in a foreign currency, that quoted figure is given as published on that page.
Limitations: Numbeo is crowd‑sourced; we treat it as a comparative indicator rather than an exact household budget. Where private‑sector pay (hagwons, eikaiwa, private Gulf schools) lacks an official primary source dated 27/09/2026, we explicitly mark that as unknown.
Date modified: 27/09/2026. Recheck policy: pillar pages with salaries are rechecked annually or sooner if programme pages publish updates.
Typical salary examples by programme / employer
Public programmes — published figures only.
EPIK (Korea) — published pay scale and benefits
The EPIK site lists pay scales and benefits; the Overview page and Salary & Benefits page include indicative ranges and benefits information as published and updated 04/05/2026. The EPIK Overview shows pay ranges referenced on the programme pages; the Salary & Benefits page details allowances and benefits where present. Example published range (as shown on EPIK Overview): 2,300,000–2,700,000 KRW per month. Regional variation and employer‑specific allowances are noted on the same EPIK pages; check province listings for differences.
JET Programme (Japan) — published annual amounts
The JET Programme FAQ publishes the annual gross amounts by year of service. Published figures (gross): 1st year 4,020,000 JPY; 2nd year 4,140,000 JPY; 3rd year 4,260,000 JPY; 4th–5th year 4,320,000 JPY. These are gross amounts as shown in the FAQ pages; local taxes or municipal deductions are not computed here and must be checked against local tax authorities.
Auxiliares (Spain) — published stipend for 2026–2027
The Spanish Ministry convocatoria for Auxiliares 2026–2027 publishes an ayuda (monthly stipend) of 800 € for 14 hours/week for the 2026–2027 campaign. The application window cited on the official convocatoria is 02/06/2026 → 30/06/2026. The programme page describes this as an ayuda rather than a salaried contract; treat it accordingly when comparing to private contracts.
Private market pay
Private-sector ranges (private hagwons, eikaiwa, private Gulf or Hong Kong private schools) are not included unless an official primary source exists dated 27/09/2026. For private offers, request the employer’s written pay schedule and local tax guidance.
Typical monthly cost-of-living examples (city reference paragraphs)
Below are comparative city notes based on the city/country pages consulted on 27/09/2026. Numbers and baskets are available on the linked Numbeo or local guide pages; readers should open those pages for itemised lines.
Seoul (Korea)
Context: EPIK salaries are published on EPIK pages; Numbeo Seoul pages show city cost indices and typical expense baskets. EPIK pages also note when housing is provided or an allowance applies — consult the Salary & Benefits page for the exact phrasing. For rent and groceries, consult Numbeo Seoul entries to compare rent percentages against the EPIK published monthly pay range.
Tokyo (Japan)
Context: JET publishes gross annual amounts. City cost commentary and indices for Tokyo are available via Numbeo and broader commentary sources noted in the references. Compare JET gross figures on the JET FAQ with the Numbeo Tokyo cost pages to estimate disposable income after typical rent and transport costs.
Madrid (Spain)
Context: Auxiliares is an ayuda (800 € monthly) for 14 h/week for 2026–2027. Numbeo and national housing indexes give typical rents for Madrid; use those pages to judge whether the Auxiliares stipend is a supplement or a primary income depending on household needs. The ministry page explicitly frames the amount as an ayuda.
Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Dubai, Hong Kong
For these cities we link to the Numbeo pages consulted and to a local expat cost guide where available (Ho Chi Minh City: ExpatDen). Numbeo country/city pages were used as comparators; rent is commonly the largest item in Numbeo baskets for these locations. Use the linked pages to view itemised baskets and rent bands as of 27/09/2026.
How to compare a salary offer with local costs (practical checklist)
- Verify whether the published amount is gross or net (programme pages specify gross where applicable; JET FAQ shows gross amounts).
- Check housing: is housing provided, or is there a housing allowance listed on the programme page? EPIK Salary & Benefits notes housing-related benefits where present.
- Check insurance and pension contributions on the programme page; list these as non‑cash benefits when present.
- Estimate local rent and basic basket using the Numbeo city page referenced for that city (open the city page consulted on 27/09/2026).
- Factor in flight allowance and installation allowances only when the programme page lists them explicitly.
- For private offers: request the written pay schedule and an explanation of tax withholding before signing.
Worked examples are useful only when both programme pay and a specific city cost line are explicitly published and dated. Where a city rent figure is not directly quoted on a primary source that matches the salary citation date, do not compute a net saving number here.
Special cautions
Visa & legality: “Teaching on tourist visa is illegal and can carry penalties; always confirm work‑permit requirements with the embassy or the official programme.” This warning and related visa wording were included from the KIT warning blocks and checked 27/09/2026. Confirm with the embassy or programme pages listed below before travel.
China online teaching and local regulatory cautions: consult KIT blocks for country‑specific restrictions where applicable and check primary authority pages where available.
Degree and certification myths: do not assume “no degree needed.” Only treat a country as allowing degree‑free entry if a primary authority page explicitly permits it; otherwise mark the status as unknown.
What we don’t know / data gaps (do not invent)
- Salaires du privé (hagwons, eikaiwa, centres privés, écoles du Golfe) sans source officielle datée.
- Montant net effectif après impôts/having dependents sans document officiel.
- Plafond d’âge légal en Chine (pratique provinciale non vérifiée).
- Exigence légale d’un TEFL au Vietnam (contradictoire dans les sources commerciales — non confirmé en source primaire).
- Salaires TFETP 2026 (contradictions commerciales — site officiel non lisible).
- Règles fiscales / exonérations locales sans sources officielles (do not state “tax‑free” for Gulf salaries without primary proof).
- Any blanket assertion “no degree needed” without a country and primary URL permitting it.
Update log / corrections
DateModified: 27/09/2026. Next scheduled recheck: annual for pillar pages; salary pages rechecked at each programme publication update. Corrections: submit a documented primary source URL and consultation date to request a factual update.
Keep reading in this section
Elena Vogel
Elena worked for six years as a paralegal on work-visa and immigration files before switching to writing full-time. She covers the paperwork side of teaching abroad — apostilles, background checks, health insurance and the…
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