Job Discussion Forums

[elliot_spencer]

Hey guys, has anyone taught in Malaysia , I can see that salaries are about 4000Ringt and thats about 19,000,000 VND per month.

Is Malaysia cheaper than Vietnam as a place to live? Has anyone taught in both? Any advice? pros cons??

Thanks

[Jati]

Since you are asking about Malaysia, you might get more responses by posting in the Greater Asia area. I just happened to be lurking through the Vietnam posts.

I have lived and taught in Malaysia (non-ESL) for 13 years, but have never been to Vietnam.

An average salary in Malaysia may be more in the RM3000 range (US$840) depending upon type of school, your qualifications, and the city. (Yes, the British Council pays more, up to RM9,000 or so, but they limit how long you can work there.) Some expats make in the 7,000-9,000 range at universities and private colleges, but those tend to be exceptional wages, not your standard rates. Since there are many Malaysians fluent enough in English, the foreign TESL/TEFL teachers are easily replaced by Malaysians who accept the lower salaries now being offered.

International schools pay better, but those are extremely competitive and even some of those schools are successful in lowering the salary grade. It seems, based upon the posts that I read, that Vietnam might still be in the growth stage of the ESL/EFL industry, whereas Malaysia is on the wane.

I don't teach ESL/EFL, BTW, but learned enough Malay to teach engineering within that language.