Teaching in Vietnam
Vietnam's international school market is growing fast, and the pay gap is the story. Tier-1 schools in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi pay $2,500–5,000/month plus housing. Language centers pay less for a different job. School tier decides what you keep.
How to use this guide: Package figures on this page mix market guidance with teacher-reported international-school offers. Prefer reports that show year, role, housing, and school type, and weigh sample size before treating a median as definitive. How we handle data.
Teacher salaries in Vietnam, from real reports
Based on 26 anonymous teacher salary reports across 36 international schools in Vietnam. Figures are monthly base pay in USD, with the top and bottom 5% trimmed. Compare housing, flights, tax context, and estimated savings on each school page before treating a median as the full picture.
The spread is the real story. Salary ranges, per-role medians, and exact school-by-school packages (base + housing + flights + savings) are members-only, $10/year.
Sourced from teachers who worked at these schools. Medians are base pay only. How we handle data.
Why teach in Vietnam
- Tier-1 schools in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi pay $2,500–5,000/month plus housing
- ESL language centers are a different job with different pay
- A central HCMC 1-bedroom runs about $320–600/month if you pay rent yourself
- Work permit typically 4–6 weeks through the school
- HCMC has more schools; Hanoi costs a bit less
Salary, package, and savings
Base salary alone is misleading across countries. Housing, tax, flights, insurance, and estimated savings change which offer is actually better.
Who this is for: A balanced posting. Not Gulf-level savings, but tier-1 international schools pay well against a low cost of living, so you can save a solid amount and still enjoy the country. Watch the gap between real international schools and ESL language centers.
Teacher-reported / market estimate, not a guarantee
- Housing or housing allowance (common at international schools)
- Annual flights
- Health insurance
- Visa support
- Relocation allowance (some schools)
- Base salary (tier-1 schools)
- $2,500–5,000/mo ($30,000–60,000/yr)
- Housing
- Allowance $1,000–2,500/mo, or 60–80% of rent covered
- Flights
- Annual round-trip home (common)
- Health insurance
- Employer-provided
- Relocation
- Allowance at some schools; visa/work permit support
Vietnam taxes employment income on a progressive scale, but rates are moderate and living costs are low, so take-home stretches far. Many international-school contracts are quoted net (after tax); always ask whether a salary is gross or net before comparing offers.
A teacher on $3,500/month at a tier-1 school in Ho Chi Minh City with a housing allowance, spending $1,200–1,500 on living costs, saves around $1,000–1,300/month. Lower-tier schools and ESL roles save far less, which is why the school tier matters more here than the country.
- 1-bedroom apartment (HCMC center)
- 8–15M VND (~$320–600/mo)
- Meal at local restaurant
- 50,000–100,000 VND (~$2–4)
- Monthly Grab/motorbike
- 1–2M VND (~$40–80)
- Utilities
- 500,000–800,000 VND (~$20–32)
Workplace reality to research
Compensation decides whether an offer works financially. These factors decide whether it works day to day. Check school pages for teacher-reported details.
- Tier-1 international schools and ESL language centers are different jobs; contact hours, prep, and after-school expectations diverge a lot.
- Leadership stability and admin support vary by campus; ask current teachers about meeting load and class sizes.
- HCMC usually has more school choice; Hanoi can feel quieter with a growing market. Confirm the daily timetable before signing.
Requirements
- Teaching license from home country for international schools
- Bachelor's degree (minimum)
- Experience preferred; NQTs sometimes accepted
- Clean criminal record for work permit
Common curricula
IB, British (IGCSE), American, Cambridge. Schools specify their curriculum in job postings.
Main cities for teaching
Ho Chi Minh City international schools, Hanoi international schools, Da Nang. Hiring season: October–February for August start, peaking December–February; March–May picks up late vacancies.
Featured schools in Vietnam
Schools with the most salary data from teachers
St. Paul American School Hanoi
Dewey School
Singapore International School
Vinschool
American International School
TAS
ABCIS
Th School
Vietnam Australia School
The American School (TAS)
Victoria School
Emg
Things to know
- International schools and ESL language centers are different, pay and benefits vary significantly
- Ho Chi Minh City has more schools; Hanoi is the capital with a growing market
- Work permit process can take 4–6 weeks
- Get contracted hours, duties, and leave in writing before you sign, and check them against Vietnamese labour law rather than the school's summary of it
Frequently asked questions
- What's the difference between international schools and ESL in Vietnam?
- International schools teach full curricula (IB, etc.) and require teaching licenses. ESL roles at language centers pay less and have different requirements.
- Is Vietnam safe for expat teachers?
- Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are low-crime cities. Petty theft exists. The hiring question is school tier, not safety copy.
- Can I save money teaching in Vietnam?
- Yes. International school salaries with housing allow many teachers to save $500–1,200 per month.
- Ho Chi Minh City vs Hanoi for teaching?
- HCMC has more international schools. Hanoi costs a bit less and has a smaller market. School tier matters more than the city.
- When should I apply for Vietnam teaching jobs?
- Tier-1 international schools now recruit October–February for an August start, with the peak December–February. Language centres and lower-tier schools still hire later and more opportunistically, often March–June. If you want a tier-1 role, being in the market by October matters more than a polished application submitted in March.
- How much can you save teaching in Vietnam?
- At a tier-1 international school with a housing allowance, many teachers save $800–1,300 per month against Vietnam's low cost of living. ESL and lower-tier roles save much less. The school tier is the biggest factor in how much you keep.
- How much do tier-1 international schools in Vietnam pay?
- Tier-1 international schools in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi pay roughly $2,500–5,000 per month ($30,000–60,000 a year) plus housing, flights, and insurance. This is well above ESL language-center pay, which is often quoted for Vietnam but targets a different job.
- Do international schools in Vietnam provide housing?
- Most tier-1 schools give a housing allowance of about $1,000–2,500 per month or cover 60–80% of your rent, rather than providing an apartment outright. A one-bedroom in an expat district of Ho Chi Minh City runs roughly 8–15 million VND ($325–610).
Research schools before you accept
Compare teacher-reported packages, estimated savings, and workplace notes at international schools in Vietnam.