Work /
Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]
Well, actually the rents are going up in every major city very quickly, like over 30% a year in Wroclaw, Warsaw rent is insane.
You mentioned that Poland sounds like the best destination in Europe for pay, etc. Although Poland is one of the higher paying countries in the former Eastern Bloc, it is by no means one of the higher paying in Europe. However, as an American for one, and no teaching experience for two, you have no chance of getting a job in Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, France, Spain, the UK, Austria, where the pay is much higher.
So, Poland is one of the better countries where you can get a legal job as teaching.
Here is my advice if you do indeed want to teach: Get your CELTA or Trinity TESOL. Do the intensive course 4-5 week course, not some online, 2 week certificate that means close to nothing.
The pay I was quoting was net pay. If you are going to pay taxes in Poland, it's 19%, so ask for 19% more, if the school is not going to pay taxes. Some schools, like International House, provide accommodation, but your pay is lower. It mostly balances out. But, by all means, only consider a school that will either substantially assist with your accomodation, ie, find one and help with getting your residency permit, or one where accommodation is already provided.
If you are legal here, the school should pay for at least half of your insurance. The other half will be about 100 zl per month. High speed internet will be between 60 - 90 per month. Utililities another 150 or so. Electricity and landline phones are criminally expensive here.
You may save some money, but not enough to pay off US debt or anything. I haven't saved anything because I've squandered it on going out whenever I wanted and by living alone. In most schools that do provide accommodation, you will be sharing it with another teacher.
Good luck!