It is 2003, again!

I guess my point was a decade or more ago, you didn't have to pinch pennies and hoard if you didn't want to.  You could still save and send money home and pay off even a large loan quickly so long as the exchange rate goes your way.  It did for a time, before getting bad for several years.  So, took me longer to pay shit off.  But after I finally did, living costs started creeping up and the last two to three years has accelerated.

I certainly don't doubt that, lower wages + higher cost of living is a global(?) thing (can't speak for worldwide I guess, but I know its the same in America).

I feel a lot better off here with 2.2 + no rent than I would working an office job in the US and having to pay the price of living in a city lol

I guess my point was a decade or more ago, you didn't have to pinch pennies and hoard if you didn't want to.  You could still save and send money home and pay off even a large loan quickly so long as the exchange rate goes your way.  It did for a time, before getting bad for several years.  So, took me longer to pay shit off.  But after I finally did, living costs started creeping up and the last two to three years has accelerated.

Thing is, you don't need to pinch pennies and hoard now if you don't want to, and can still save a decent amount. It might be harder for Americans, cause their exchange rate is currently bad, but other countries are doing alright. I eat out once a week here, and cook real meals twice a day every other day. and have been doing that for 4 years when I started at 2.1 myself.
But, I agree, that in the nearish future, a raise will need to happen to help with the rising cost of living.

The difference is the massive amounts of money paid into teacher pensions in the West. Here, we get all the money upfront. Making it look like more here / less in the West. But come retirement time the realization will come that people in the West were actually saving more than us. Much more. We’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars. Which is why they can retire at age 52 (if they want) and be set for life.

For China the taxes are somewhat high and can go up to 45%, but it usually averages at around 20 for most teacher salaries.

So a 30k salary would actually be 22-24k after tax (depending on the city/region you're in), but with deductions you'd probably end up at around 25k. Insane, but that's the way things are. Still more than enough to save/send home as practically everything else is cheaper than Korea.

The difference is the massive amounts of money paid into teacher pensions in the West. Here, we get all the money upfront. Making it look like more here / less in the West. But come retirement time the realization will come that people in the West were actually saving more than us. Much more. We’re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars. Which is why they can retire at age 52 (if they want) and be set for life.

It does depend on your county tbf, my great aunt and uncle were both teachers and they're living comfortably now, but some places (particularly lower income areas) you're screwed regardless

here you go. private tutoring for 8,840won an hour

you'd need an F visa for this job, and the minimum for hour classes is usually 50,000won

https://seoul.craigslist.org/edu/d/part-time-english-conversation-class/7164872580.html

here you go. private tutoring for 8,840won an hour

you'd need an F visa for this job, and the minimum for hour classes is usually 50,000won

https://seoul.craigslist.org/edu/d/part-time-english-conversation-class/7164872580.html

I'm guessing this kind of job will be more a way of getting to meet people than do much teaching. Kind of like a language exchange where you get a bit of beer money instead of a Korean lesson. No one in their right mind would be doing it for the money.  It'd be interesting to see how it's sold to the Koreans. I notice they're employing non native speakers which tells you the Koreans probably don't see it as real teaching.

I'm guessing this kind of job will be more a way of getting to meet people than do much teaching. Kind of like a language exchange where you get a bit of beer money instead of a Korean lesson. No one in their right mind would be doing it for the money.  It'd be interesting to see how it's sold to the Koreans. I notice they're employing non native speakers which tells you the Koreans probably don't see it as real teaching.

it could be targeted towards people here on a student visa i suppose. i wonder how much the korean students pay per lesson

There's probably a high turnover of students. If you've ever done a language exchange you think it's great at first because you're not paying anything but then you realise that the lessons you're getting are actually just crap, and unless you're trying to get off with the 'teacher' the motivation soon disappears. Also Koreans generally think the more they pay for something the better the quality and the more reason to stick at it. It's a fact that people who get free lessons through their company etc. are nearly always the least motivated students. 

For China the taxes are somewhat high and can go up to 45%, but it usually averages at around 20 for most teacher salaries.

So a 30k salary would actually be 22-24k after tax (depending on the city/region you're in), but with deductions you'd probably end up at around 25k. Insane, but that's the way things are. Still more than enough to save/send home as practically everything else is cheaper than Korea.

My deductions total 10 per cent here.  As it has for year.  But unlike the past, it now equals that plus getting hit with another 1 to 1.5 million at the end of the year still owning.  Some years even more.  So, I would say we are getting closer to 15% when totaled out. 

As for folks comparing a higher salary and higher rents in a big US city, well the lower wage and tiny one room is no better off.  (I live better than this and the average teacher hence why I stay.  But if I got 2.1 or 2.2 and a tiny one room in 2020, I'd have enough self respect to be gone.)   

As for folks comparing a higher salary and higher rents in a big US city, well the lower wage and tiny one room is no better off.  (I live better than this and the average teacher hence why I stay.  But if I got 2.1 or 2.2 and a tiny one room in 2020, I'd have enough self respect to be gone.)

When I complain about the rent in a big US city, I'm complaining about the rent on those tiny 1-rooms. You'd have to have a hell of a salary to make up for having to pay 1k+ a month in rent.

There's probably a high turnover of students. If you've ever done a language exchange you think it's great at first because you're not paying anything but then you realise that the lessons you're getting are actually just crap, and unless you're trying to get off with the 'teacher' the motivation soon disappears. Also Koreans generally think the more they pay for something the better the quality and the more reason to stick at it. It's a fact that people who get free lessons through their company etc. are nearly always the least motivated students. 

yeah you might be right. the students looking for cheap/free lessons are probably also the ones reluctant to pay for decent lessons, so they might not even realise just how crap their teacher is (due to lack of experience with a decent teacher)

When I complain about the rent in a big US city, I'm complaining about the rent on those tiny 1-rooms. You'd have to have a hell of a salary to make up for having to pay 1k+ a month in rent.

I assume you can 40k plus.  Which is not much money in a city where you have to pay 1k rent.  If rent is 3K for that then obviously you need more money like 80k or more.  San Fran Vancouver New York and Toronto is the pits.  But compared to the money I could have plowed away or repaid debt with on a 2.1 salary 11 or 12 years ago, this is nothing and a pittance.  I suppose it may be a bit better than NYC here.  But, if you lived in Houston or Dallas or somewhere with cheaper rents and a robust economy (minus the current covid times) or even another southern or midwestern city where things are robust, I am sure you could do much better.  (Obviously not the rusted out places of the rust belt but I use to ehar some good things about Mike Pences homestate economically speaking and some places in upper mid west along with some southern cities.) 

Now covid means stay put for a year or two I guess.  But if salaries stay at 2.1 continually as living costs still soar here, I really couldn't image staying.  I'd be finding a city in the interior or south.  Screw the overpriced bankrupt coasts (maybe southern coats).  Cheaper rents and still okay company salary maybe entry level unless I went home and trained for a specific skill set.  Either blue collar trade or some specialized business or computer skill. 

Saying a 2.1 salary here is wonderful compared to NYC doesn't settle the problem that foreigners are getting a much much worse deal then they were a decade or more ago. 

I assume you can 40k plus.  Which is not much money in a city where you have to pay 1k rent.  If rent is 3K for that then obviously you need more money like 80k or more.  San Fran Vancouver New York and Toronto is the pits.  But compared to the money I could have plowed away or repaid debt with on a 2.1 salary 11 or 12 years ago, this is nothing and a pittance.  I suppose it may be a bit better than NYC here.  But, if you lived in Houston or Dallas or somewhere with cheaper rents and a robust economy (minus the current covid times) or even another southern or midwestern city where things are robust, I am sure you could do much better.  (Obviously not the rusted out places of the rust belt but I use to ehar some good things about Mike Pences homestate economically speaking and some places in upper mid west along with some southern cities.) 

Now covid means stay put for a year or two I guess.  But if salaries stay at 2.1 continually as living costs still soar here, I really couldn't image staying.  I'd be finding a city in the interior or south.  Screw the overpriced bankrupt coasts (maybe southern coats).  Cheaper rents and still okay company salary maybe entry level unless I went home and trained for a specific skill set.  Either blue collar trade or some specialized business or computer skill. 

Saying a 2.1 salary here is wonderful compared to NYC doesn't settle the problem that foreigners are getting a much much worse deal then they were a decade or more ago.

You are right about Houston and Dallas, they're definitely the places to be right now - but considering how many Californians are rushing there, I'm not entirely sure how long they'll stay like that.

I also don't disagree that foreigners are getting a worse deal compared to what they used to make, I just think that you could say the same about a lot of other places, especially in the US.

For the record I don't plan on settling here permanently or anything either (even if I started making a better salary, I think I go up a pay grade if I renew which is nice I guess). I'm just saving a bit of money (and riding out Covid).

Things in the teaching English in Korea industry are on the decline and in all likelihood will continue to decline. How about 2.1 ten years from now in 2030? Then we’ll be talking about the good old days of 2020.

Adjusted for inflation salaries for NETs: going down.
Adjusted for inflation salaries in the West: NOT going down. Not overall. They are beating inflation. And if they kept pace with inflation that would mean just as good as before rather than a loaded term like stagnating real wages. As long as that’s real wages - meaning adjusted for inflation - it’s not a problem. Many people don’t understand that distinction. But stagnating salaries for NETs but not Koreans while prices go up - that is a problem. Every year minimum wage goes up in Korea. Every year per capita GDP goes up in Korea. (Every year per capita GDP goes up in the USA, too - it’s now at $67,426.) But NET salaries in Korea don’t go up. Meaning adjusting for inflation they’re going down.

You are right about Houston and Dallas, they're definitely the places to be right now - but considering how many Californians are rushing there, I'm not entirely sure how long they'll stay like that.

I also don't disagree that foreigners are getting a worse deal compared to what they used to make, I just think that you could say the same about a lot of other places, especially in the US.

For the record I don't plan on settling here permanently or anything either (even if I started making a better salary, I think I go up a pay grade if I renew which is nice I guess). I'm just saving a bit of money (and riding out Covid).

Funnily enough I remember having a convo with some yank mates 3 years ago about where I would live if I moved to the States. 100% Texas. They laughed, but lo and behold. Texas is the state to be now and the coastal 'populated' states are looking like a mess.

One other place I like the look of is South Carolina... Have to visit one day...

How much do you have to be earning to pay for a 1 bed apartment in Dallas, SA or Houston AND be able to put away 1000USD a month?

Funnily enough I remember having a convo with some yank mates 3 years ago about where I would live if I moved to the States. 100% Texas. They laughed, but lo and behold. Texas is the state to be now and the coastal 'populated' states are looking like a mess.

One other place I like the look of is South Carolina... Have to visit one day...

How much do you have to be earning to pay for a 1 bed apartment in Dallas, SA or Houston AND be able to put away 1000USD a month?

Depending on which part(s) of Dallas (keep in mind, the DFW Metroplex is rather large)....I would say $3-$4 grand a month.  Rent is quite reasonable, but is dependent on your preferences.  Houston....Gawd..tr affic nightmare, awful summers and just...dirty.  San Antonio..lots of history, large city but...not much to do (awful summers, as well). 

Texas:  The cities of Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and El Paso (I think) are all controlled by Democrats...and turning to shit (but not like the east and west coast cities). 

Funnily enough I remember having a convo with some yank mates 3 years ago about where I would live if I moved to the States. 100% Texas. They laughed, but lo and behold. Texas is the state to be now and the coastal 'populated' states are looking like a mess.

One other place I like the look of is South Carolina... Have to visit one day...

How much do you have to be earning to pay for a 1 bed apartment in Dallas, SA or Houston AND be able to put away 1000USD a month?

South Carolina is pretty nice, I lived there for a few years. Charleston has a lot of character and there are plenty of good beaches. The fishing got worse over the time I was living there though, usually I'd go up to NC for that.

I really want to get out of here and move to north Carolina. My wife is Korean and my in laws are constantly trying to visit without really consulting me. They are nice enough but being treated like a child is wearing me down. I thought moving 300km away would do the trick but we have been down south for 3 weeks and they are already about to make their second visit. this time for over a week. I'm also just tired of Korea in general. The smoking on the street and the trash is getting to me. It feels like I just need a reset.

South Carolina is pretty nice, I lived there for a few years. Charleston has a lot of character and there are plenty of good beaches. The fishing got worse over the time I was living there though, usually I'd go up to NC for that.

Sounds like a plan.  If I live in the US, may be a place to check out.  (I have US relatives that can get me in if need be.  I'm Canadian, but spent much time in some parts of the US.  So, I know US very well.)   I wasn't sure which would be best to live?  Carolinas, Texas, or some other place.  Balanced by decent amount of jobs with affordable rents and housing.  Maybe southern cities like Nashville or elsewhere?