Teaching English Abroad in Chengdu, China
Chengdu–China's culinary capital and Pandas'home
Chengdu is a major city that is rapidly expanding. It is Western China’s financial and economic hub. Chengdu’s New Century Global Center is the world’s largest building in land area (18.9 million square feet). Chengdu is also a foodie’s paradise, as well as the birthplace of the cute giant pandas. The culture is vibrant, with ancient sites like Jinli Old Town and the Giant Buddha in Leshan and the popular Sichuan opera, a classical Chinese art form.
There are even more interesting facts about Chengdu that make it an enticing destination for English teachers looking to work in China.
Information about Chengdu
Chengdu is the capital city of China’s Sichuan province and is home to more than 7.8 million inhabitants. Chengdu has emerged as Western China’s financial and economic center due to its rapid growth in recent years. The city was the starting point of the famed Southern Silk Road, which allowed Chengdu to export tea, iron, and silk to neighboring areas. Chengdu’s goods were exported to Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, as well as the Middle East. Chengdu is also preferred for its central position and convenient access to China’s Tibetan and Yunnan provinces.
Chengdu has four distinct seasons and a subtropical climate. Winter is pretty cold, and during the summer, it rains a lot. Locals speak the Chengdu dialect, which is a minor variant of Mandarin, the official Chinese language.
Chengdu was formerly a Chinese second-tier city, but it has now grown to become one of its “modern first-tier cities.” That said, although an ESL teacher’s average salary in Chengdu is not as high as in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Shenzen, it’s not far behind! As an English teacher in Chengdu, you can expect to earn between $1,400 and $2,300 a month on average. If you teach at a prestigious private or foreign academy, you might earn even more.
What are the Advantages of Teaching English in Chengdu?
Many ESL teachers prefer Chengdu more than other major cities in China since Chengdu’s living cost is meager considering its comfortable and large city lifestyle. Renting a single apartment in the city center would cost you about $300 to $400 per month. Chengdu is a city where a person can live for much less than $1,000 per month. This is certainly not the case, for example, as living in Beijing or Shanghai. Moreover, Chengdu is not as daunting as other metropolitan areas in China with a slower life speed.
Chengdu is renowned for having some of China’s most delectable cuisines. Sichuanese cuisine is famous for being spicy and oily, and the aroma is incredible. If you don’t like chili, there are plenty of non-spicy alternatives. While in Chengdu, you must try the fiery hot pot, Sichuan dumplings, noodles, and skewers. Tea houses abound all over Chengdu, and they’re always bustling with locals. They always engage in board games, Mahjong, or converse over a cup of freshly brewed tea.
If the food isn’t enough to persuade you, the cute Giant Pandas could. Chengdu is home to the world’s largest Giant Panda Research Base, where you can see pandas up close and in their natural habitat. It’s the cutest thing you’ll ever see. Don’t ytrust me? Look it up on the internet!
