Teaching English in Mexico: A 2025 Guide
- Connor O'Donoghue
- Mar 28
- 4 min read
Why choose Mexico?
Mexico is a dream destination for many people, whether because of its beaches and tropical climate, or its jungles, architecture and beautiful landscapes, or its culture, world-famous foods and friendly inhabitants. Mexico has long welcomed travellers from the US and elsewhere and is a lively and exciting country, ready to embrace visitors.
What's it like teaching English in Mexico?
English is the most popular language in Mexico, given its proximity to the USA and English teachers from the USA and Canada, and sometimes from further afield, can be found in both big and small cities in all parts of the country.
Julie says:
I've been in Mazatlan for almost 6 years. I live in a traditional, safe neighborhood that's a 10 minute walk to the beach. I pay $250 a month in rent. I came to enjoy the lifestyle, culture, people, history, scenery and food and teaching English allowed me to do that!
Is it hard to teach English in Mexico?
Mexican students are lively and friendly and teaching a class of Mexican people is often a lot of fun. Ryan says
The work environment is very supportive, collaborative, and friendly. People tend to mix the personal and professional here so it's expected to make friends at work. Mexican students are very respectful and polite. They're honestly a joy to teach. I only teach adults and I never encounter discipline issues. They are hard working and eager to learn.
Is there a demand for English teachers in Mexico?
There is a long tradition of international English teachers working in Mexico, so it's relatively easy to find work there. However, Mexican schools will often find someone by word of mouth or through personal introductions and you may find it easier to find work by visiting on a tourist visa and calling into visit potential employers in person before applying for a work visa and making the move in person. Summer is the best time of year to look for work in Mexico, as the academic year there starts in late August, but it is possible to find work at other times of year as well.
Where to find English teaching jobs in Mexico
The easiest place to start looking is Mexico City. It's by far the biggest city in Mexico and there are substantially more jobs there than in any other city, but there are also teaching jobs available throughout the country, including in popular destinations like Guadalajara, Oaxaca, Puebla and Queretaro.
You can look for work online on websites like www.tefl.com, www.eslcafe.com or www.seriousteachers.com, but many teachers will look for work by making personal connections.
Most CELTA-qualified teachers will work for 'language academies' like International House or Berlitz or other national and international chains when they arrive in Mexico. These schools will all recognise CELTA certificates and will be eager to employ teachers from overseas. Some teachers might also get work teaching business English in-company, or working for the English department in a private university.
How much do English teachers make in Mexico?
Salaries will vary from school to school and city to city and most schools will have hourly rates for extra lessons, but a typical English teacher in Mexico will make somewhere between $600 and $900 (US) each month. Some teachers will top this up by giving one-to-one lessons in students' houses or online.
Cost of living in Mexico
The cost of living in Mexico is, on average, 42.7% lower than in United Kingdom. This means that even though the salary for an English teacher looks low, it is definitely possible to live well as a teacher in Mexico. You can rent an apartment for about half of your salary and food, drinks, transport and utility bills are all very affordable. Mexico isn't somewhere you travel to save money, but you can live a good life as an English teacher there.
Requirements for teaching English in Mexico
Reputable language academies in Mexico will require their teachers to have a CELTA or equivalent. You don't have to have a university degree to get a work permit, but if you want to work somewhere like a private university, it will be much more achievable if you have a bachelors degree as well as a CELTA. There is no official list of nationalities who can get visas as English teachers, so it's a very open market in many ways. You don't have to speak Spanish to get work as an English teacher, but it will definitely help you to have a good quality of life in Mexico if you speak at least intermediate-level Spanish.
Final thoughts
Mexico is a beautiful and exciting country and you can live a good life as a teacher there. Many British or Irish teachers will look to Europe or Asia for their first teaching adventure, but Mexico has a lot to offer!
Dr Connor O'Donoghue hails from Ireland and he started teaching English as a foreign language in Poland in 2003 and he became a CELTA trainer in 2008. He has taught and trained in Ireland, the UK, France, Italy, Slovenia, Macedonia, Poland, Russia, Kazakhstan and Vietnam. Connor also holds a Masters and a PhD in Education from Trinity College in Dublin. He has previously managed large teacher training centres in Vietnam and in London before founding DC Teacher Training.
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