Beijing & Shanghai
Imperial palaces and the Forbidden City. The Bund at sunset. Hutong alleyways and Art Deco architecture. Two cities that together contain more English teaching positions than most countries — and offer two of the world’s most extraordinary urban experiences.
Beijing: 3,000 years of history in a 22-million person city
Beijing is China’s political and cultural capital — where the Communist Party governs, where the best universities cluster, where Chinese history is most visibly concentrated in intact architectural form. The Forbidden City (the world’s largest palace complex, at its core perfectly preserved from the 15th century). The Great Wall: four sections accessible from Beijing, each radically different — the restored Badaling, the wild crumbling Jinshanling, the challenging Jiankou. The Summer Palace. The Temple of Heaven. The 798 Art District (China’s most internationally respected contemporary art zone in former Bauhaus factory buildings). The hutong system — Beijing’s ancient courtyard alleyways, many still inhabited, some converted into some of China’s best restaurants and bars.
Beijing’s winters are genuinely cold (January averages –4°C) and air quality is a genuine challenge — the thermal inversions of the Hebei plain trap pollution in winter months, and AQI readings above 150 are common. Teachers who want to spend time outside in Beijing need to invest in N95/KN95 masks and an indoor air purifier. This is worth knowing before choosing Beijing. The summer air quality is significantly better. Beijing’s intensity — the scale, the complexity, the historical weight — is transformative for teachers who want the deepest possible engagement with China.
Teaching English in Beijing
Language centres
Beijing has China’s largest concentration of language centres. EF Beijing, Wall Street English Beijing, New Oriental-associated programmes, and hundreds of independent centres citywide. Salary RMB 15,000–25,000. Most include housing allowance or school housing. Focus on children and young professionals. Most competitive language centre market in China — CELTA or solid TEFL + experience significantly improves candidacy.
International schools
Beijing has China’s largest international school market. British Schools Beijing (BSB), Harrow Beijing, Dulwich Beijing, ISB (International School of Beijing), Wellington College Beijing, Western Academy Beijing, and many more. Salary RMB 25,000–40,000+ with full packages. Most prestigious positions in China. Require formal teaching qualifications and 3–5+ years experience. Applications 12–18 months ahead through specialist platforms.
Universities
Beijing hosts China’s most prestigious universities (Tsinghua, Peking University, Beijing Normal University). Foreign Expert positions with modest salary but extraordinary benefits: free campus housing, academic environment, research time, 2-month summer and 1-month winter holidays. Master’s preferred; PhD increasingly expected at top institutions. The most intellectually rewarding positions in China for career academics.
Beijing: teacher neighbourhoods
Chaoyang District (expat hub; Sanlitun bar street; most international schools) · Haidian District (university zone; cheaper; academic community; northwest) · Dongcheng/Xicheng (central; hutong atmosphere; higher rents) · Tongzhou (eastern suburbs; newer; more affordable; families). Most language centre teachers live in Chaoyang; most international school teachers live near their schools’ northern/western campuses.
Beijing: numbers
Language school range: RMB 15,000–25,000 · Int’l school: RMB 25,000–40,000+ · Accommodation (Chaoyang, shared flat room): RMB 4,000–8,000 · Monthly living (local food + transport): RMB 3,000–5,000 · Best saving ratio: Tier 2 cities beat Beijing for absolute savings due to lower costs
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Shanghai: China’s most international city
Shanghai is China’s most cosmopolitan city — the one where China’s extraordinary economic rise is most visibly expressed in glass and steel. The Pudong skyline across the Huangpu River, with the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Shanghai Tower rising from what was agricultural land in 1990, is one of the world’s most dramatic urban transformations made visible. The French Concession — tree-lined Wukang Road, Art Deco apartment buildings, independent cafés and restaurants — is the most European-feeling neighbourhood in Asia. The Bund — the colonial waterfront promenade — at night, with the Pudong skyline reflected in the river, is genuinely beautiful in a way that photographs barely capture.
Shanghai is milder than Beijing: winters average 5°C rather than –4°C, and air quality is generally better. The expat community is the largest in China and arguably the most integrated — Shanghai has been a genuinely cosmopolitan city since the 1840s, and that history is expressed in the city’s comfort with foreigners. For first-time China teachers who want maximum international infrastructure while experiencing China, Shanghai is the most accessible entry point.
Teaching English in Shanghai
Language centres
Shanghai has more international schools and language centres than any Chinese city outside Beijing. EF Shanghai (EF is headquartered here), Wall Street English, and hundreds of independent centres. Salary RMB 10,000–15,000 standard. More competitive than Tier 2 cities but not as competitive as Beijing. The post-2021 “Double Reduction” regulatory change affected K-9 academic tutoring; adult English remained largely unaffected.
International schools
Shanghai has more international schools than Beijing — Dulwich College Shanghai, Wellington College Shanghai, British International School Shanghai, SAS (Shanghai American School), Concordia, Shanghai United International School, and many more. Salary RMB 30,000–40,000+ with comprehensive packages. Require full teaching qualifications. Shanghai’s international school market is the most developed in China. Applications through TES, Search Associates, and ISS.
Corporate English
Shanghai is China’s financial and commercial capital — home to more multinational companies than any other Chinese city. The demand for Business English and corporate training is the strongest in China. Accessed through language centres’ corporate departments or directly after establishment. Premium rates RMB 200–500/hour for experienced corporate trainers. Shanghai’s Lujiazui financial district and Jing’an business corridors are the primary corporate English client base.
Beijing vs Shanghai for English teachers
| Factor | Beijing | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Historical depth | Unmatched (Forbidden City, Great Wall, etc.) | Colonial history; 20th-century architecture |
| International feel | Chinese capital; international quarter | More cosmopolitan; most international city in China |
| Climate | Cold winter (–4°C Jan); hot summer; dry | Milder; more humid; better air quality |
| Air quality | Significant concern (winter inversions) | Generally better than Beijing |
| Language school salary | RMB 15–25K | RMB 10–15K (lower but still strong) |
| Int’l school market | Very large | Largest in China |
| Expat community | Large; politically-oriented | Largest and most established |
| Cost of living | High | Highest in China |
| Best for | History; culture; politics; Beijing experience | Business; internationalism; first-timers |
FAQ
Is Beijing or Shanghai better for saving money?
Beijing language school salaries are higher (RMB 15,000–25,000 vs Shanghai’s RMB 10,000–15,000), but both cities’ living costs (accommodation, food at Western restaurants, imported goods) are the highest in China. In pure savings terms, both Tier 1 cities are less efficient than Tier 2 cities like Chengdu or Hangzhou, where lower costs and often free housing produce better savings ratios on lower nominal salaries. If maximum savings is the priority, Tier 2 cities outperform both Beijing and Shanghai. If the Beijing or Shanghai experience specifically is what you want, the financial equation is still very good by global standards — just not China’s optimum.
What’s the air quality situation for long-term teachers in Beijing?
Genuinely concerning for the winter months (November–March), when thermal inversions trap pollution from surrounding industrial areas. AQI readings above 150 (“Unhealthy”) are common and above 200 (“Very Unhealthy”) occur several times per winter. The practical response that long-term Beijing teachers consistently recommend: invest in a good air purifier for your apartment (Xiaomi and Philips units are affordable at RMB 300–800), carry N95/KN95 masks for outdoor activity on high-AQI days, and monitor the AQI daily via apps. Summer and autumn air quality is significantly better. Teachers who are particularly sensitive to air quality may prefer Shenzhen, Chengdu, or coastal cities where air quality is consistently better.
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