Here’s Where to Teach English in Taiwan This Year

Want the inside scoop on the “where’s where” when it comes to English teaching jobs in Taiwan?

Little Taiwan is often overshadowed by its bigger neighbors when it comes to English teaching opportunities, but just because Taiwan is overshadowed doesn't mean that it should be overlooked.

This island nation of 23 million people offers a great balance of big cities and lush, subtropical countryside. And as the island is only the size of the Netherlands and has well-developed infrastructure (including high-speed trains!), you can quickly and easily hop between all these different environments when you’re not teaching English in Taiwan. 

Teaching English in Taiwan jobs: A whirlwind of fun, adventure, and meaningful work!

While mainland China gets most of the attention for those exploring Chinese culture and language, Japan and South Korea are the better known developed countries of East Asia. The Southeast Asian countries are recognized the world over for their lush tropical climates and stunning landscapes—Taiwan offers all of this and more!

Plus, you have the opportunity to save thousands of dollars a year while teaching English in Taiwan. 

Even though Taiwan is a relatively small island, there are still a variety of locations for Taiwan English teaching jobs, each with their own unique advantages. Read below to learn more about some of the best locations to teach English in Taiwan. 

Where should I teach English in Taiwan? 

1. Taipei—Big City Living

Taipei is the capital and largest city in Taiwan. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Taiwan revolves around Taipei, with over seven million people living in the Taipei metro area. That means there are tons of students eager to learn English, and therefore many schools eager for your English teaching services—and of course lots to do when you’re not busy teaching. 

Teaching jobs in Taipei City are in a class of their own.

English teaching jobs in Taipei primarily break down into three categories: private schools, public schools, and private tutoring. Teaching is private language schools is probably the most common job for teaching English in Taipei, as it usually just requires a TEFL certificate and a university degree in any subject.

Public schools tend to seek teachers with at least a year of teaching experience and a degree in Education. In public school teaching English in Taiwan jobs teachers can expect a higher degree of freedom over their curriculum than in many private institutes.

Private lessons often offer the best hourly rates, but can be hard to find before arriving in Taiwan, so it’s probably best to look for these opportunities as a little #sidehustle after you’ve already landed a job at school.

As Taiwan’s capital and largest city, English teachers in Taipei will have lots to explore within the city and many incredible sites to see around Taiwan when those weekends and vacations roll around.

Some highlights in the city include visiting the iconic 106-story Taipei 101 skyscraper, learning about the history of Taiwan at the National Palace Museum, and walking around the beautiful gardens of the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall.

Then once you’ve hit all the tourist highlights, there are endless cool cafes, restaurants, bars, and clubs to explore. And of course no trip to Taipei would be complete without feasting in the many night markets scattered around the city that offer mouth-watering street food, often at jaw-droppingly low prices.

Like most big cities, English teacher salaries in Taipei skew higher, as does the cost of living. Teachers in Taipei can expect to earn between $1,600 to $2,700 per month.

Even though Taipei is expensive for Taiwan, the cost of living is very cheap by Western standards, especially considering the high quality of life.

A delicious local meal can cost as little as $1.50 to $3.00, for instance. That means you’ll be able to save money that you can spend on vacations around Taiwan and East Asia, or put it in the bank for your eventual return to your home country where you’ll need to pay some coin for less delicious food probably costs more than $3.00. 

• Recommended program: International TEFL Academy
• See all teaching jobs in Taipei

2. Kaohsiung—Taiwan’s Sunny Second City 

Teaching jobs in Kaohsiung, Taiwan will introduce you to a world of color!

Kaohsiung is a port city on the southern coast of Taiwan and Taiwan’s third largest city with a population of over 2.5 million. 

While not as internationally well-known as Taipei, Kaohsiung is one of the most important cities in Taiwan, with the country’s largest port and many big businesses based in the skyscrapers throughout the city.

Kaohsiung is actually the 6th-largest container ship port in the world. As Kaohsiung becomes ever more of a global city, there is high demand for English language education so the people can connect to the rest of the world. And that of course also means there is high demand for English teachers!

Like Taipei, most jobs in Kaohsiung are either in private schools, public schools, or private lessons. The job market in Kaohsiung is smaller than in Taipei, but there is still high demand. It just might take a little more searching to find your perfect teaching job.

One of the best things about finding English teaching jobs in Taiwan’s Kaohsiung City could be its weather. The city is renowned for its year round sunny weather and temperatures that float between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (20 and 29 Celcius).

If that’s a little hot for your fancy, rest assured that there is often an ocean breeze drifting in from Kaohsiung harbor to cool things off a bit for you. 

When not busy teaching, you’re likely to spend quite a bit of time on the island of Cijin, just off the coast from the city. Also on Cijin is the TianHou Temple, which was built three hundred years ago to protect sailors as they ventured out from Kaohsiung to the South China Sea. 

There are other notable historical sites in the city, like buildings dating back to the 17th century from the Dutch colonial period and later Qing Dynasty.

There there are also all the trappings to be expected of a modern Asian city of course, like a world-class metro system, large shopping malls, and delicious street food. When you have to get out of the city, there are ample natural attractions in the surrounding area, like hiking in the Central Mountain Range to the city’s north and tropical waters to the south. 

Teachers in Kaohsiung can expect to earn about as much as their counterparts in Taipei. However, the cost of living is generally lower in Kaohsiung, which means savings opportunities are that much higher. There are many things you can put those savings towards, like travel, a financial cushion when (or if) you go back home, or even some Mandarin lessons. 

• Recommended program: LanguageCorps
• See all teaching jobs in Kaohsiung

3. Taichung—The city for Culture Vultures and Nature Lovers

Taichung, along with Taipei and Kaohsiung, rounds off the “big three” cities of Taiwan. Located on the west coast of central Taiwan, Taichung is considered to be a little more laid back compared to Taipei and Kaohsiung. With that being said, Taichung is still a city of almost 3 million and has a large offering of English teaching jobs. 

Similar Taipei and Kaohsiung, most teaching jobs are in public and private schools, with private tutoring opportunities as well.

Want to deep dive into Taiwanese culture? Find teaching jobs in Taichung City!

Taichung has been called the heart of Taiwanese culture, with many Taiwanese actually preferring its livability to Taipei. Taichung is full of museums and night markets, making living there once you land your job teaching English in Taiwan a particularly fun, culturally rich experience.

The National Museum of Science and the National Museum of Fine Arts are both located in Taichung. If the museums aren’t enough for you when you teach English in Taiwan, Taichung also has the National Taichung Theater opera house and the Taiwan Symphony Orchestra. 

When you’ve had your fill of night market noms and Taichung’s high culture, you can venture out to the incredible nature within easy access of Taichung. The city itself has some hiking trails along elevated pathways, like those in the BeiTun District, which actually lead to the highest point in the whole city.

Outside of Taichung, there are many hiking opportunities along the string of mountains that run down the center of Taiwan. Taiwanese people positively love to hike, so expect to make lots of local friends on the trails during the weekends. 

English teaching jobs in Taiwan’s Taichung City pay about as well as other Taiwan English teaching jobs. Like Kaohsiung, the cost of living in Taichung is lower than Taipei, so there are higher potential savings opportunities. Unlike Kaohsiung, however, Taichung is just an hour’s high speed rail ride from Taipei, so you can easily access everything that Taiwan’s capital has to offer.

• Recommended program: GeoVisions Foundation
• See all teaching jobs in Taichung

[View ALL English Teaching Programs in Taiwan]

Next steps to teach English in Taiwan

Don't pack your bags for Taiwan English teaching jobs juuuust yet. There are a few items on your teach abroad to do list you should check off first.

[Watch Our How To Teach English Abroad Guide]

• Decide where to go. Figuring out where to teach in Taiwan isn’t easy. The gorgeous highlands? Somewhere in Taiwan? Don't let the oyster egg omelettes hold you back—choose a place that's right for you.
• Get TEFL certified. Even if it is not required, this is a wise investment for future ESL teachers. It will give you absolutely everything you need to prepare for the classroom (well, except for an ability to think on your feet!).
• Adults, kids, private schools, public schools? Spend time considering the type of teaching environment you'd most like to be involved in. You can choose from a range of ages, goals (for example, Business English versus Conversational English), and institutions, from one-on-one tutoring to university employment.
• Choose from the best teach abroad programs in Morocco. Pay attention to past participants’ reviews, your school and organization reputation, location, and your ease of getting started as a paid worker. Some schools or providers may even provide contact info for ambassadors or past participants if you want the REAL dirt. Here are more considerations to make as you figure out how to choose the right teaching job for you. Pro tip: You can use MyGoAbroad to compare programs side-by-side.
• Plan your finances. Sort out funding before you go to afford daily essentials and splurge in travel (in addition to program costs and airfare). Do your research to have an idea of how to pay for teaching abroad.
• Get prepared! You've done your research, chosen your program, saved up the money, and are entering your last weeks of life "at home" before you move abroad to find ESL teaching jobs. Well done! Here's our teaching planning timeline/preparation guide to help make this stage more fun and less stressful.

You’re ready to teach English in Taiwan! 

Make a difference during English teaching jobs in Taiwan!

So where is it going to be, Taipei, Kaohsiung or Taichung? All three cities having amazing English teaching opportunities while offering their own unique experiences. And, regardless of where you choose, you’ll be able to visit the rest easily due to Taiwan’s small size and excellent infrastructure. 

When you choose to teach English in Taiwan, you get it all: excellent weather, big cities with delicious food and vibrant nightlife, beautiful mountains and beaches, the opportunity to live in another culture, and major savings potential. 

Plus, you can learn Mandarin, one of the most important languages of the 21st century, without having to worry about choosing between the dizzying number of cities in mainland China with all the quirks of living there, like no easy access to Facebook or Google. 

Are you ready to get teaching English in Taiwan? 

Get Matched with 5 English Teaching Programs in Taiwan for FREE