Quick answer: Most teachers should aim to have $3,000 to $4,000 saved before moving to China. If your job comes with free housing, meals and other stipends, or if you’re moving to a smaller city, you could manage with around $2,000-$2,500. 

Your exact budget will depend on where you’re teaching, whether your employer provides housing, how much you need to pay upfront for accommodation, your flight costs, and how long you’ll need to wait before your first salary hits.

Before you even get on the plane, you’ll have a few expenses. These costs vary slightly by country, but here’s what most TEFL teachers should expect:

💡 Visa & documentation costs

To legally teach in China, you’ll need a Z Visa, which requires authenticated documents. Typical costs include:

• TEFL certificate authentication
• Bachelor’s degree authentication
• Criminal background check + authentication
• Visa application fees
• Passport photos, courier fees, admin costs

Depending on your country, getting all your documents sorted can cost anywhere from $150 to $400+. You can pay for expedited services if you’re in a rush, but they’re pretty expensive and will bump up your costs a lot. 

Top tip: Begin collecting everything around 3 months before your planned start date.

💡 Flights to China

An awesome benefit of most schools in China is that they provide a flight allowance to cover your travel to China. Some schools might buy the ticket for you, while others reimburse you once you arrive or at the end of your contract. But even if you’re reimbursed, you’ll still need to pay for your own flight upfront, so it’s better to budget for it just in case.

If you do end up buying your own ticket, here’s what you can expect to pay for a one-way flight:

• $400–$900 (from Europe or Asia)
• $500–$1200 (from North America, Africa, Australia)

💡 Travel insurance (optional but wise)

This isn’t a must-have, but it is safer and recommended to have, especially in your first month when everything feels new and a bit overwhelming. You’re adjusting to new food, new routines, new everything… so it’s totally possible to fall ill. I got tonsillitis within my first week of living in China.. It wasn’t fun! 

A budget around $50–$150 should suffice, but of course, this will depend on your home country and coverage.

💡 VPNs (not optional, but ESSENTIAL!)

I highly recommend downloading a VPN (or two) before moving to China. You’ll need one to access things like Google, Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, banking apps, and streaming services (basically most of the apps you use back home!). 

I’d recommend buying a one-month plan to start with, testing it out, and seeing how well it works in your city or area. Fortunately for us, VPNs can be affordable– starting at as little as $5 per month! So while it’s not the biggest expense, it’s probably one of the most important. Some VPNS I’d recommend include: Let’sVPN, Shadowrocket & Astrill.

So by the time you’ve finished your paperwork, booked flights, and prepped some essentials, you’ve already spent $700–$1700.

Now, let’s chat about what costs you can expect once you’ve arrived in China.

Even with a school that offers housing or housing allowances, you’ll almost always need to find your own apartment. And that means paying out of pocket for accommodation when you land.

💡 Temporary housing when you first arrive

Another big perk of many schools in China is that they either provide free housing or give you a monthly housing allowance. If your school provides housing, great — you can usually move in as soon as you arrive. But if you’re getting an allowance, you’ll need to find your own apartment once you’re in China. 

Most teachers prefer this anyway so they can look at places in person, check out the neighbourhood, and make sure they’re close enough to their school. The only catch? You’ll need somewhere to stay while you’re apartment hunting. 

Even though apartment-hunting in China doesn’t usually take long, it’s still smart to give yourself a few days. You might end up staying in a budget hotel, a serviced apartment, or an Airbnb.

Typical prices:

• $20–$60 per night in smaller cities or areas outside the city centre
• $50–$100 per night in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, or central Guangzhou

When I arrived, I spent five nights in a hotel, and I paid for all of it myself — so definitely factor this into your budget!

Once you’ve found an apartment that you like, you will be faced with the biggest upfront expense. Most landlords expect you to pay your first two months’ rent upfront + an additional month as a security deposit, which you’ll receive back at the end of your apartment contract. This is known as yajin.

And you’ll most likely have to pay an agency fee, too! This is usually between 50- 100% of the monthly rent, but this is a one-off commission fee.

For example, my rent in Guangzhou is ¥4,000 ($595). I had to pay ¥12,000 ($1,785) upfront + ¥2,000 ($300) for the agency fee. Fortunately, though, I was able to split this with my friend who I live with.

💡 Typical rent around China

Here’s what most teachers can expect:

• Tier 1 cities (Shanghai / Beijing / Shenzhen): $800–$2500 for a 1-bedroom
• Tier 2 cities (Nanjing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Xi’an): $400–$1100
• Smaller cities: $250–$700

The closer you live to city centres, the pricier it gets.

The apartment setup costs add up too. 

My apartment came semi-furnished (bed, sofa, TV, washing machine), but I still had to buy:

• Bedding & pillows
• Kitchenware & appliances
• Cleaning supplies
• Bathroom essentials
• Hangers, storage, organisers
• Miscellaneous items

And those “little things” absolutely add up. Budget an extra $100–$250 for apartment essentials.

For more info on living and teaching in a Tier 1 vs a Tier 2 or Tier 3 city, check out these blog posts:

Life In A Tier 1 City in China: Beijing and Beyond The Skycrapers: Teaching In A Tier 2 or Tier 3 City In China

You’ll usually get your first paycheck at the end of your first full month of work, or once your bank account has been successfully set up. Or perhaps, if you start in the middle of a month, your first paycheck might only cover the days you actually worked. So, unless your start date happens to be on the 1st, you could go 4–6 weeks before seeing any money.

Here’s what your expenses may look like:

💡 Transportation

• Metro/bus rides: $0.50–$1 each
• Didi (Uber): $3–$8 per ride
• First-month transportation estimate: $40–$90

💡 Groceries and eating out

If you cook most meals: $120–$180

If you mix Western food and delivery: $200–$350

Western food is pricier, and imported goods really add up. Trust us!

💡 Phone plan

About $8–$15 per month

💡 Utilities

Varies based on air-conditioning use, but expect $20–$60 for your share.

💡 Weekend spending

Cafés, outings, sightseeing… Anywhere between $50 and $150, depending on your lifestyle.

Your first month in China may cost $300–$600, excluding rent payments.

Depending on your contract, your school might offer:

Housing allowance

It’s very common, and this reduces your rent significantly!

Free meals at school

My school provides three free meals a day, which was a massive money-saver, especially during the first chaotic month when I hadn’t bought pots, pans, or spices yet. This also removes the stress of trying to cook when you’re already dealing with jet lag, apartment setup, navigating a new city, and the rest.

Health insurance

This usually covers basic medical needs.

Airport pickup

Some schools offer this. Tip: Confirm with your school whether they can collect you!

Paid holidays

This can free up money for travel or saving.

Let’s chat about ways to keep costs down. Here’s what helped me most:

• Eat at school when you can. Those free meals made a huge difference.
• Choose an apartment outside the city centre. My rent halved simply by living 30 km from downtown Guangzhou, and I live super close to my school!
• Use Chinese apps like Meituan, Taobao, and Pinduoduo to buy things such as groceries, food, and things for your apartment. They often have really good deals!
• Use the metro instead of taxis. The metro is super cheap, fast and reliable.
• Avoid buying imported groceries during your first few weeks. Eating locally is far cheaper!

Even though China is affordable, I recommend having an emergency fund because:

• Your first paycheck could be delayed
• You may not like the school-provided housing
• You may need to stay in a hotel longer
• You might have issues converting your Z-visa to a work permit. (This happened to someone we know!)
• You might need a doctor’s visit before your insurance kicks in
• You might want to cancel and switch apartments if the first place doesn’t work out

This amount is totally up to you, but I would recommend around $500-$800. You would MUCH rather be over-prepared than under-prepared.

Between $2,000 and $2,500. After going through this entire process myself, the absolute minimum that I would recommend saving is between $2,000 and $2,500. 

This is specifically for teachers who are moving to a smaller or mid-sized city, your school provides free housing, your school offers free meals, and you are VERY budget-conscious. This really only covers the basics, but you still have an emergency fund!

For most teachers, however, I would honestly recommend saving between $3,000–$4,000. This is the sweet spot if you’re finding your own apartment, you’re moving to a bigger city, you want a comfortable first month and a decent emergency fund, you expect to pay 2–3 months’ rent upfront, and you have a safety net. This amount will definitely make you feel at ease and take any financial stress off you during your first few weeks.

How much does it cost to move to China? 

• Before departure: $700-$1,700
• Temporary accommodation: $100-$500
• Housing deposit/rent: potentially $1,000s
• First month’s living costs: $300-$600
• Emergency fund: $500-$800

Keep in mind that these sums are all rough estimates. How much money you actually need to move to China will depend on where you are moving to, as well as what benefits come with your TEFL job. 

I can say that moving to China is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and with the right preparation and expectations, it doesn’t need to be stressful financially. Once you’re settled and receiving your monthly salary, life becomes incredibly manageable and awesome!

China is modern, safe, convenient, and full of opportunity, and with good salaries and lower living costs, you can save a lot while still enjoying a great lifestyle.

If you’re preparing for your move now, prioritise building your savings! It makes those first few weeks SO much smoother and lets you actually enjoy the adventure instead of stressing about money. And of course, if you’re still on your TEFL journey, The TEFL Academy is the perfect place to start!