Job Discussion Forums

Holbs · Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 18 Location: Russia

First off, let me just say--
Yes, I know Russia is in an economic crisis. I also know that a lot of you suggest not moving there. Thank you. However, that isn't what I'm wondering.

Now, onto the topic--

Currently, for an ESL teacher with a CELTA and a BA living in Moscow, what kind of salary would be reasonable (in either rubles or in dollars)? [Assuming accommodation is paid for and no extravagant lifestyle, just average expenses] I know there is a lot of variation from school to school but any figures--ballpark, or from x to y would be useful.

Cheers.

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

Assuming your flat,electric and travel costs are paid by the firm and this is for one person to live modestly,not extravagantly.If you want to save,eat out regularly or have a girlfriend etc,you will need $1000 more, depending on her tastes and whims!

canucktechie · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 343 Location: Moscow

Reasonable on whose terms? Since there are more people looking for jobs than there are jobs today, it's the school who determines what's reasonable.

I was given an offer of 48,000 rubles monthly (full time, no benefits whatsoever including housing) from a fairly reputable school.

Take it or leave it.

kazachka · Joined: 19 Nov 2004 Posts: 220 Location: Moscow and Alaska

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

As I have written before,listen to this lady's advice because she knows all about Russia and has a lot of first-hand experience there.....if you don't mind working for peanuts,better to do it for charity and at least gain the satisfaction that your efforts are appreciated by deserving people,rather than be exploited,derided and maybe even abused by people who couldn't give a damn about you!

hedge12 · Joined: 15 Jul 2009 Posts: 6 Location: HCMC, VN

Does this include free housing on top of that? I can't imagine any school is paying anything like 3000 plus accom.

maruss · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 1145 Location: Cyprus

Although inflation has slowed slightly in the last couple of months,Moscow is still an expensive city to live in and the current financial crisis has made the overall situation worse,particularly as regards finding work.Nowadays you can probably find a 1-room appartment not too far from the centre for around $1000 per month if you are lucky,but you will need to pay a month up-front as well as an agency commission,unless you know someone local. or you firm is prepared to find it for you.Bills for electricity and other services and certainly for phone calls will probably be extra.So assuming you have around $2000 per month left after paying your rent you will have enough for your daily needs such as food if you are careful and maybe even to save something.However,if you like regular eating out and acquire a Russian girlfriend etc. you will easily blow your budget!
At the end of the day,it is very difficult to find a teaching job in Moscow nowadays where you will be able to make $3000 per month,even if you manage to pick-up a few extra private lessons-even long-termers who have been there for years are facing the squeeze at present,so it's not the ideal time to be a new arrival......
A final word of advice,if you have never lived and worked in Moscow and travelled around there on the metro etc. from one place to another to teach lessons in all weathers and conditions,nothing can prepare you for what it's actually like.....even though I enjoyed many of the classes I taught, the place itself finally did me in more than anything else!If you are not going to be well paid for it either,why subject yourself to such an experience???

Red and white · Joined: 30 Sep 2007 Posts: 63

I'm no longer teaching, currently earn about $2000 / month (net of tax) and get along OK. I rent a flat one stop out from the circle line, about 30 mins from my office, and pay the equivalent of $800 / month on it. No bills, except internet subscription (500 roubles / month) and my mobile phone calls (not big enough to be worth counting up).

I tend to find I can budget to spend about 1000 roubles a day, and save 10,000 / month from my salary. That extra cash tends to go on travel (weekend breaks this year in Tallinn, Prague and Suzdal - all very nice, since you're asking), and recently I've been updating a few bits of my kitchen. On a work day, because I'm generally busy with work, I really struggle to spend 1000. At the weekends when I have time to go out and enjoy myself, I can afford concert tickets, trip to the football / hockey etc. And I can take my gf too. Maybe I just got lucky enough to find one who isn't too fussed about having money spent on her.

In the past, while teaching, I pulled in around $1300 / month and had a shared flat provided. In financial terms I'm no better off in my current job, but I no longer have to share my space - which I like. That's the choice I made.

As for travelling on the metro in all weathers - do other cities not have public transport? Does it never rain / snow etc elsewhere in the world? Or, as today, is it never a bit hot and sticky anywhere else?

Moscow is a big, big city. It has all the associated problems and pleasures of other big cities. I like big cities, so I like Moscow and put up with the associated drawbacks, just as I did in London and just as I would do in New York, Tokyo etc. If you don't like living in other metropolises, this one won't change your mind.

dirimini · Joined: 20 Jan 2009 Posts: 74

kazachka · Joined: 19 Nov 2004 Posts: 220 Location: Moscow and Alaska

SandyG20 · Joined: 12 Sep 2007 Posts: 208

So is 3500 USD a good amount of money teaching kindy in Moscow? What kind of perks should I be looking for besides that amount of money?

I have done most of my research on Asia - so don't know much about teaching in Russia at this point.

Thanks.

canucktechie · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 343 Location: Moscow

Well that depends on what you mean by "good" but if you mean is it at the top end of what you can reasonably expect to be offered today, yes.

I don't think you'd be getting any perks at all, except for the visa invitation.

kazachka · Joined: 19 Nov 2004 Posts: 220 Location: Moscow and Alaska

ancient_dweller · Joined: 12 Aug 2010 Posts: 415 Location: Woodland Bench

[/quote]Well, I don't need the gf LOL, however 3000$ is the bare bones minimum to make it worth one's bother. Sorry, I can't understand why educated people would sell themselves short for crap wages. I assume our educations were not free. Mine certainly wasn't. To have busted your tail for a degree and qualification only to accept 1000 or so bucks a month seems like a total waste to me. Unskilled migrant workers, housekeepers,etc make more. Would you accept crappy wages in your home country? Then why in the heck would you elsewhere??There are some things life is just too short for and settling for that would rank highly on my list as one of them.[/quote]

I agree with you to some extent, don't turn down a better job for $1000 a month - Moscow is a city for millionaires. However, I am quite happy to take $1000 a month, it is less than minimum wage in the UK, but it is a better job.