Job Discussion Forums

athenssoest · Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 9:41 pm Post subject: teacher salary in Mexico

On average, how much do ESL teachers in Mexico get paid? Is it enough to live comfortably? Is saving possible?

Thanks!

TheLongWayHome · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 1016 Location: San Luis Piojosi

I think if you want to come to Mexico, it's worth bringing enough money so that you can shop around for a good job, say for a month or so. Otherwise people tend to end up working in some fly-by-night language school for $peanuts$ the hour. However, if your only expense is the weekend beer consumption then working in one of these places will suffice.

If you give us some info on your qualifications and experience we can probably help you more or at least point you in the right direction.

athenssoest · Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 2:47 am Post subject:

I'm in college now working an a BA in foreign language education, and want to do my CELTA some time soon.
I've always wanted to teach abroad and am just researching around for a good country to start in.

wildchild · Joined: 14 Nov 2005 Posts: 519 Location: Puebla 2009 - 2010

good country to start in? try the middle east.

come to Mexico after you're rich.

Prof.Gringo · Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 8:46 pm Post subject:

The Mid. East is not for newbies.

Easiest place with decent pay would be Korea.

Mexico simply does not pay enough to save or do much. Pay here is on a par or even lower than SE Asia but the cost of living is higher.

dixie · Joined: 23 Apr 2006 Posts: 644 Location: D.F

Tretyakovskii · Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 462 Location: Cancun, Mexico

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Agree with Tretya pretty much and completely with Dixie. Short term work at language schools will only ever have you break even, covering your costs, but if you plan to stay for awhile and develop/network, you can save quite a bit, buy property, travel frequently, pay off loans back home, etc. A number of us posting here do so.

Spector · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 66

Tretyakovskii · Joined: 14 Aug 2009 Posts: 462 Location: Cancun, Mexico

As Guy has suggested, it's possible to make a decent amount of money teaching, or engaged in activities related to teaching, such as operating a language school, here. Those who do it successfully, for a number of years, can enjoy the advantages Guy spoke of: PhilK has reported an experience similar to Guy's, in terms of developing a good life, here.

The way forward is sometimes more obvious to some, than to others: I spelled out one way forward in this thread-

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=79013&highlight=&sid=b5938a426dca17f83022f32c87405bc1

The important thing is to get started, get in on the ground floor, if necessary, knowing that, with time, you can find opportunities to do better: those who keep at it, and have some luck along the way can earn enough to satisfy almost anyone.
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As for the implication contained in your question, I think many people piece together a living, here, doing a variety of things, including English teaching. Samantha has spoken of some of the options, on other threads.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

geaaronson · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City

I heartily agree. It is possible to live quite comfortably here. For some with overblown upper class or nouveau riche lifestyles, you will not have the earning power to substantiate those repeated fine dinings, twice weekly opera visits, monthly parties, but if we are talking twice a week at the movies, buying household appliances and electronics, an occasional trip back to the original stalking grounds or travel to Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, La Paz, that is a very doable lifestyle. If you are teaching at a better preparatoria, university or recruiting teachers for your own corporate Business English courses than you will be able to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle.