Job Discussion Forums

[Thomcat]

I know there is quite a bit of information about salaries posted, but to my knowledge none of it is current. With food, gas, and other prices soaring, I am wondering what one needs to earn in order to sustain themselves and have a little money left over for a little traveling etc.

What are some decent starting salaries for recent TEFL graduates with a little stateside experience? If people could state monthly as well as hourly, that would be most helpful!

Thanks

[hlamb]

It really depends on where you land a job, what type of school it is, etc. In Cuernavaca the language schools range from 30-70 pesos to start, depending on which school you end up at. Most of those offer, with no guarantees, 15-20 hours a week. The universities pay more but those are harder to get without experience. Also, teachers at the unis spend more time prepping.

My rent hasn't gone up in a year (knock on wood) but I've noticed small increases in various foods and intercity buses have gone up a bit too. I think the difference between my coworkers who are making it and those that aren't is the amount of beer they drink. Not saying you can't drink on what we make, but you can't expect to be out every night and still be able to travel.

[TheLongWayHome]

I would say $8000 pesos a month minimum (outside of Mexico City).

It depends what you're into and what you need to maintain. It's a huge advantage to be able to cook as you can eat very cheaply. I know teachers here (in SLP) that found they couldn't do much on $6000 - $7000, even the plane ticket home left them out of pocket.

[Thomcat]

Thanks for your helpful replies. It is really helpful to know what both hourly and monthly salaries should be.

A question to blamb: How do you like Cuernavaca? I have many friends who are from Morelos, all of whom suggest that I seek work in Cuernavaca,

[Jetgirly]

My salary is in US dollars - I get $400 monthly for forty-eight hours of work. That's twelve hours per week. I could stay on full-time if I wanted next year but I would rather gauge my eyes out with a mango fork. I have no idea how much they would pay me for full-time. The other teacher and I share a REALLY nice furnished apartment that's a twenty-minute walk from the school. It's got two bedrooms, a living room, an office, a dining room, a kitchen and a laundry room with a washer and dryer. We pay 8000 pesos per month for rent (split two ways that's four thousand pesos each, or about 90% of our monthly salary), 250 pesos a month for building fees, about 100 pesos per month for electricity and about 600 pesos per month for internet and local phone. The water bill is 40 pesos per month but our landlord pays it annually or something. I pay about $35 (dollars) per month on local busses. I have no idea how much I pay for food.

Yes, we're spending way more than we're making, but I think that in the long term it will have been cheaper to live here for five months than to keep my $850 a month (plus utilities) studio apartment back in Canada for the same period.

[Thomcat]

Jetgirly, curious as to why you'd rather gouge your eye out with a mango fork? Where do you work? Who do you work for?

[MO39]

[MELEE]

I'd second TLWH that 8000 pesos a month would cover a modest to comfortable life style in the proviences, if you get a job paying more you can either live nicely, save some, or travel the country on the extra.

[sweeney66]

My bare-bones budget in Mexico City is 6000 a month. With 8000, I can save travel drink wine and buy books. I lucked into cheap rent.

[MO39]

[hlamb]

[Prof.Gringo]

Here in Mexico City you really need about $10-12,000 pesos to live a comfortable lifestyle. Of course it depends on you. If you make 12, have 10 after tax, and spend 7 a month and you could save 3 and be OK. Just a quick estimate.