Teach English in Poland (Cost of Living)
poland palace
Compared to many other European countries, Poland is a relatively cheap country in which to live. Teaching English in Poland offers an excellent opportunity to experience authentic European culture, cuisine and lifestyle. While the salary is not lucrative, the experience is definitely worth the stay.
For EFL teachers, the average monthly salary is PLN 1,200 (US$510) for those in government schools and between PLN 2000 to 4800 (US$850-2040) in private schools. However, even foreign teachers are liable for an income tax rate of 20%. (Salaries after tax: PLN 960 [US$408] for public schools & PLN 1600-3840 [US$680-1632] for private schools)
This is why most foreign teachers would want to work in private language schools since the pay is almost twice as high than that of the public schools. Plus, work in public schools tends to be more tedious when compared to private schools. Class schedules vary, as the age range of your students can be anywhere between elementary school kids to senior citizens.
Most schools, offer free accommodation for their teachers. This generally means houses shared with other foreign teachers. Some schools do not provide accomodations, however they will typically assist their teachers in finding a suitable place to live. Also, living with host families in exchange for private English lessons is popular in Poland. A room in Poland costs anywhere between PLN 1200-1500 (US$510-637) for a room with your own kitchen & bathroom. Renting just a room in a shared house or apartment will typically cost about PLN 422 (US$180).
Public transportation in Poland is efficient and affordable. A monthly pass that costs PLN 66 (US$28) allows you to take either the bus, tram or metro train anytime of the day.
Food prices in Poland vary according to your lifestyle. Meals in Polish restaurants cost PLN 25-50 (US$11-21), while dining in cafes costs PLN 10-20 (US$4-8). A small bottle of beer is PLN 2.80 (US$1). Eating in high-class restaurants cost in the region of PLN 50-100 (US$21-43), and even more. When eating out in a pizza place, the most that you would be spending is around PLN 20-25 (US$8-11) per person, and PLN 10-15 (US$4-6) in bars. People in Poland are known to love drinking vodka. In fact, vodka is considered to be their national drink. A bottle of the famous “Sobieski Vodka” costs between PLN 7-12 (US$3-5) per 200ml bottle.
In this country, right at the heart of Europe, the nightlife is lively and the people are generally friendly, and very are eager to learn English. So, if you are thinking of traveling and working in a European country at half the cost of western Europe, then Poland is the place to be.
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Poland (General Information)
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