Thailand vs Vietnam: which teaching route should you choose?
Compare Thailand and Vietnam teaching routes by salary, savings, requirements, TEFL value, timeline, employer support, and trade-offs.
Thailand 
Vietnam - Curated by Kevin Walsh
- Data updated May 2026
- Sources checked 22 sources
- About the team
- Editorial policy
Choose Thailand for softer access, Vietnam for stronger TEFL-backed pay.
Thailand is usually the stronger fit if you want a lower-pressure first overseas route where TEFL is practically useful but not the simple legal gate in our route research.
Vietnam is usually better if you want higher salary potential, rolling hiring, and a route where a recognised teaching certificate is normally part of the legal work-permit picture.
Best for softer first-route access
Thailand
Best for salary potential
Vietnam
What are these routes?
These are both employer-led teaching markets, so the key is understanding how hiring and paperwork usually happen.
What is the Thailand teaching market?
Thailand is a school-and-language-centre teaching market rather than one national TEFL programme.
Teachers usually apply through schools, agencies, recruiters, or job boards, then the employer supports visa, work-permit, and education-authority paperwork where required.
It tends to suit teachers who want in-person classroom experience and more rolling start dates than a fixed government intake.
The caveat is compliance: visa, work permit, school licensing, degree expectations, and teacher-permit requirements can vary by school type, province, and candidate profile, so a job offer should be checked carefully.
What is the Vietnam teaching market?
Vietnam is an employer-sponsored language-centre and school teaching market with rolling hiring in many advertised roles.
Teachers usually apply directly or through recruiters, then the employer prepares work-permit and visa or residence paperwork using the candidate's documents.
It tends to suit teachers who want classroom volume, frequent start dates, and private-centre opportunities.
The caveat is document-heavy legality: current work-permit rules require careful checking, and employers may vary in how clearly they handle contracts, permits, translations, and authenticated qualifications.
Thailand vs Vietnam: side-by-side comparison
Use this table to compare the practical differences between Thailand and Vietnam, including pay, savings potential, requirements, TEFL value, timeline, support, and the main trade-off.
| Factor | Thailand Asia | Vietnam Asia |
|---|---|---|
| Typical pay Route finder estimate | $700 - $1,600/mo Typical monthly estimate | $1,100 - $2,200/mo Typical monthly estimate |
| Savings outlook Relative outlook | Strong Salary pay; cost of living: Low | Strong Salary pay; cost of living: Low |
| Requirements Main entry gates | Degree required TEFL preferred (120+ hour); native speaker preferred; background check expected | Degree required TEFL required (120+ hour); native speaker optional; background check expected |
| Where TEFL helps How TEFL affects fit | TEFL recommended Useful practical signal for hiring. | 120+ hour TEFL required 120+ hour TEFL certificate is a core gate. |
| Time to start Typical time to start | 2-4 months Seasonal hiring | 1-2 months Rolling hiring |
| Hiring flexibility Route friction | Moderate Documents and employer checks matter. | Moderate Documents and employer checks matter. |
| Support and benefits What support is included | Light support Limited built-in support. | Moderate support Some support, but details vary. |
| Main trade-off Consider this | Market competition Check employer details carefully. | Market competition Check employer details carefully. |
Salary estimates come from our route finder; they are not a job offer. Check current employer or programme details before applying.
What the comparison means
The table keeps the route facts short. These notes spell out the practical decision points in visible, crawlable copy.
1. Pay and savings
Vietnam has a higher salary range in our route research and stronger practical upside. Thailand can still work as a first route, but pay is lower and savings depend heavily on location, lifestyle, and employer quality.
2. Requirements
Both routes usually need a degree and document checks. Vietnam treats a recognised teaching certificate as more central to legal language-centre teaching, while Thailand treats TEFL as a safer practical standard rather than a simple immigration rule.
3. TEFL value
TEFL matters on both routes, but it matters more in Vietnam. In Thailand it is a strong employability signal and often part of the school/work-permit pathway; in Vietnam it is normally much closer to a required credential for legal language-centre teaching.
4. Timeline and support
Vietnam is usually faster because hiring is rolling and larger employers commonly help with work-permit and visa steps. Thailand is more seasonal and benefits vary more by employer.
5. Main trade-off
Choose Thailand for a softer first overseas route and lifestyle-driven fit. Choose Vietnam for stronger salary potential and clearer TEFL-backed employability, while taking documents and legal work access seriously.
Which route fits your situation?
Use this section if you are choosing between Thailand and Vietnam rather than researching either destination in general. Thailand is usually the softer first step, while Vietnam offers stronger pay but makes TEFL and documents more central.
- You want a softer first overseas teaching route with seasonal school hiring.
- You are comfortable with lower salary potential and benefits varying by employer.
- You want TEFL to improve employability without treating it as the simple legal gate.
- You want higher salary potential and a faster rolling hiring market.
- You have, or plan to get, a recognised 120-hour TEFL/TESOL/CELTA-style certificate.
- You are comfortable with work-permit documents and employer checks being central to the route.
Check your personalised teaching options
This public comparison cannot account for your passport, residence, age, degree, TEFL status, work rights, or preferences. Use the TEFL route finder for personalised teaching options.
Sources behind this comparison
These are the checked sources used to compare pay, requirements, timelines, support, and route trade-offs.
Read the route finder sources and methodology- Teast — Thailand Salary by School Type
Used to check: Public school salary range; Private school salary range; Language school salary range; International school salary context; Private tutoring hourly rates; Bachelor’s degree required for work permit; Native speaker preferred; Non-native speakers can teach with test scores; TEFL 120 hours improves prospects; Experience optional; TEFL preferred by schools; TEFL sometimes required by schools; 120-hour TEFL improves prospects; Experience not strictly necessary; School-type salary bands; Private school benefits may vary; International school benefit context; Private tutoring rates; Thailand route overview; Bachelor’s degree requirement; Native speaker preferred, not required; TEFL preferred / often required by schools; Salary by school type.
- Go Overseas — How to Teach English in Thailand
Used to check: First-time public school salary range; International school salary context; Requirements overview; English proficiency test context; TEFL boosts application; Bachelor’s degree normally needed; English proficiency evidence; Clear criminal background.
- Ajarn — Teaching Jobs in Thailand
Used to check: Live job salary examples; Bangkok and provincial salary examples; Public, private and language-school listings; Current market spread.
- Thailand.go.th — Temporary Permit for Foreign Teachers
Used to check: Minimum age 20; Degree or equivalent qualification route; School-requested temporary permit; Two-year validity; Maximum six consecutive years; Temporary teacher permit; School must request permit; KSP School online submission; Six-year consecutive limit; Temporary permit conditions; School control/specified conditions; Permit can be revoked; Temporary teaching permit route; Bachelor’s degree or equivalent route; Two-year permit validity.
- Thailand.go.th — Foreign Teacher Professional Licence Registration
Used to check: Professional licence route; Minimum age 20; Education degree / teaching licence / professional certificate route; Work permit and residence evidence; One year teaching practice.
- Royal Thai Embassy Pretoria — Visa for English Teacher
Used to check: Non-B visa for English teachers; Educational certificate requirement; Criminal record clearance; School recommendation letter; Teacher licence and work permit after arrival; Bachelor’s degree and TEFL usually required for teacher licence; TEFL usually required for teacher licence; Bachelor’s degree usually required; Employer applies for teacher licence and work permit; Tourist visa cannot be used for teaching; Non-B visa for employment; Teacher licence/work permit before visa extension; Non-B visa for employment teaching; Teacher licence and work permit route.
- Ajarn — How Easy Is It to Find Teaching Work in Thailand?
Used to check: May and October peak hiring seasons; Language schools hire year-round; Degree improves hiring prospects; Native speakers preferred but non-native speakers not excluded.
- Thai MFA — Non-Immigrant Visa B
Used to check: Non-B visa before work; Work permit required before starting work; 90-day initial stay / extension context; Teaching visa documents; Non-B visa required for work; Teaching visa document list; Employer/government letters; Non-B visa for work; Non-B teaching category; Work permit required before working.
- Ministry of Labour — e-WorkPermit System
Used to check: e-WorkPermit online system; October 2025 launch timing; Online application submission; Service-centre appointment; Biometric validation.
- Ajarn — Newbie Guide: Accommodation
Used to check: Accommodation not normally standard; Employer help may vary; Workload context; Bangkok comfort salary guidance; Rural cost context; Contact hours and workload context.
- Numbeo — Cost of Living in Bangkok
Used to check: Bangkok monthly cost estimate; Bangkok rent context; City-cost context.
- Numbeo — Cost of Living in Thailand
Used to check: Thailand country-level monthly cost estimate; Rent context; General cost-of-living comparison.
- Go Overseas — Teach English in Vietnam
Used to check: Average salary range; Private language school salary range; Public school salary range; International school salary context; Common benefits; Work permit and visa assistance; Orientation; Accommodation assistance; Health insurance; Visa cost reimbursement; Salary range.
- Teast — Teaching Jobs in Vietnam
Used to check: Live job salary examples; Hanoi / Ho Chi Minh City job-market examples; Public, private, international and language-school roles; Hourly and monthly pay examples; Live employer benefit examples; Visa/work-permit support examples; Hourly and monthly role examples; Location-specific job examples.
- Circular 21/2018/TT-BGDĐT — Foreign teacher standards
Used to check: Native-speaker teacher route; Non-native teacher route; Suitable teaching certificate; Vietnam language framework level 5 or equivalent; College-degree level teacher standard; Suitable foreign-language teaching certificate; Native-speaker route; Non-native route; Language proficiency plus teaching certificate route; Native-speaker teacher qualification route; Non-native teacher qualification route; Level 5 language proficiency or equivalent; Suitable teaching certificate requirement; Foreign language centre teacher standards; Level 5 language proficiency route.
- LuatVietnam — Decree 219 education/training evidence
Used to check: Education/training qualification evidence; Language-centre compliance with centre regulations; General expert qualification framework; Work-permit dossier requirements; 60 to 10 day submission window; Public administration centre / portal routing; 10 working day work-permit processing; Written refusal within 3 working days; Health certificate; Valid passport; Criminal record certificate; Photos; Qualification evidence; Employer application; Foreign document legalisation; Vietnamese translation; Certified translation requirement; Document-preparation friction; Legalised foreign documents; Criminal-record certificate; Work-permit dossier; Document legalisation and translation; Online submission through National Public Service Portal; 10 working day processing; Education-sector qualification evidence.
- Teast — Vietnam work visa for teaching English
Used to check: Bachelor’s degree expectation; 120-hour TEFL/TESOL/CELTA standard; Teaching licence / experience exception context; Legalised degree requirement; 120-hour TEFL/TESOL/CELTA practical standard; Mandatory certificate unless exempt; Degree legalisation context; Online TEFL scrutiny warning.
- Vietnam News — Pedagogical certification for foreign English teachers
Used to check: MOET foreign teacher training programme; Pedagogical skills requirement context; Circular 21 alignment; Native and non-native teacher standard context.
- National Public Service Portal — Work permit for foreign workers
Used to check: Employer submits application; National Public Service Portal submission; 10-60 day filing window; 10 working day processing; 3 working day refusal response; Official procedure; Online submission; Work-permit processing time; Employer-side filing window.
- Vietnam Government — Decree 219/2025/NĐ-CP
Used to check: Main foreign-worker decree; Issued 7 August 2025; Effective 7 August 2025; Work-permit framework.
- Numbeo — Cost of Living in Ho Chi Minh City
Used to check: Ho Chi Minh City monthly cost estimate; Rent context; Major-city cost context.
- Numbeo — Cost of Living in Hanoi
Used to check: Hanoi monthly cost estimate; Rent context; Major-city cost context.
Common questions
Is Thailand or Vietnam better for a first TEFL job?
Thailand can be better if you want a softer first overseas route and are comfortable with lower pay. Vietnam can be better if you want stronger salary potential and have a recognised TEFL certificate ready for the work-permit and employer route.
Does TEFL matter more in Thailand or Vietnam?
TEFL matters more in Vietnam because a recognised teaching certificate is normally part of the legal and employer route for language-centre teaching. In Thailand, TEFL is still important but is better understood as a practical hiring standard.
Which pays more, Thailand or Vietnam?
Vietnam pays more in our route research. Thailand can still be a good first route, but salary and benefits are usually lower and vary sharply by employer and school type.