Teaching English Online from Taiwan: A Complete Guide

Taiwan hits a rare sweet spot for teachers who want a blend of modern comforts, cultural depth, and work-life balance. It’s one of Asia’s safest and most livable countries, with clean cities, efficient public transport, friendly locals, and an infectious blend of tradition and innovation. Whether you're sipping oolong tea in a mountain village or navigating night markets in Taipei, it’s an easy place to feel at home.

For online teachers, the infrastructure is a dream. Internet speeds are fast and reliable, power outages are rare, and you’ll find high-quality coworking spaces and cafés across most urban centers. Teaching from Taiwan also puts you in the same timezone as many of your potential students in China, Japan, and Korea—making it easy to build a consistent teaching schedule.

What makes Taiwan even more appealing is how naturally online work fits into the lifestyle here. Many teachers take on in-person contracts at schools or buxibans (cram schools) and supplement their income online. Others come in as digital nomads or freelancers and teach online full-time while exploring the island on weekends. Either way, Taiwan makes it possible to build a stable teaching routine without sacrificing travel, culture, or quality of life.

Who This Guide Is For

If you're already teaching English in Taiwan and want to add some extra flexibility—or income—online teaching is a natural next step. It’s common to find teachers working afternoons and evenings at buxibans, then running their own online lessons in the morning or on weekends. It gives you more control over your finances and opens the door to building a personal teaching brand.

For digital nomads or remote workers who want a long-term base in East Asia, Taiwan is a strong contender. It's more structured and professional than Southeast Asia’s beach towns, but less intense than Tokyo or Hong Kong. You get reliable infrastructure, a great healthcare system, and a strong sense of order—without sacrificing adventure or affordability.

It’s also a great fit for career changers or freelancers looking to live abroad while building experience. Whether you’re starting out with platforms like Cambly or Preply, or going fully freelance, Taiwan gives you the space to work, grow, and enjoy yourself while doing it.

Internet, Work Environment, and Infrastructure

Taiwan is one of the most reliable countries in Asia when it comes to internet connectivity—essential if you're teaching online. Whether you’re in a high-rise apartment in Taipei or a quieter setup in Taichung or Kaohsiung, you’ll find fast fiber-optic connections with impressive upload and download speeds. Mobile data is also cheap and fast, making it easy to teach from a hotspot in a pinch.

Most online teachers work from home, especially if their apartment is quiet and well-equipped. But if you prefer a change of scenery, Taiwan’s café culture is incredibly work-friendly. From cozy indie coffee shops to sleek chain cafés with charging ports and stable Wi-Fi, it’s easy to find a remote work base in nearly every city.

Coworking spaces are growing too, particularly in Taipei. Spaces like FutureWard, The Hive, and CLBC offer private booths, quiet rooms, and even video-call-friendly setups—great if you're teaching group classes or working during peak hours.

If you’re based in a smaller town or traveling around the island, it’s still very doable to teach online—just make sure your accommodation offers good internet, and always have a mobile hotspot as backup. Taiwan’s infrastructure is so dependable that even more rural areas often surprise you with their digital readiness.

Types of Online English Teaching Jobs

Global Teaching Platforms

For most people starting out, global platforms are the most straightforward way to land online teaching work. Companies like Cambly, Preply, italki, AmazingTalker, and Engoo offer access to students from around the world, flexible schedules, and varying degrees of autonomy.

Pay rates range from $8 to $25 USD per hour depending on the platform, your experience, and your niche. Some platforms are open to non-native speakers and require little to no experience, while others look for TEFL certification, teaching backgrounds, and a strong professional profile.

Living in Taiwan gives you a big timezone advantage if you’re teaching students in East Asia, the Middle East, or even parts of Europe. Morning or evening slots in Taiwan line up perfectly with student demand—so you can keep a consistent schedule without working strange hours.

👉 Explore our Teach English Online Guide for a breakdown of top platforms.

Local or Asia-Focused Platforms

Taiwan has a few online teaching platforms of its own, and the most well-known is AmazingTalker, a marketplace-style site founded in Taiwan but now serving students across Asia and beyond. The platform lets teachers set their own rates, offer trial lessons, and teach multiple subjects—not just English.

Some private language schools and buxibans are also starting to offer hybrid roles, especially on weekends or evenings. These may combine a few hours in the classroom with online tutoring or small group lessons through Zoom or similar platforms.

Opportunities sometimes come up through local Facebook groups, LINE communities, or even directly through language centers you’re already connected with. If you’re already teaching in person, don’t hesitate to ask about adding online hours—many schools are open to it.

Freelance and Private Students

Freelancing is one of the most lucrative and flexible ways to teach online from Taiwan—especially if you're comfortable marketing yourself. You can attract students from Taiwan, elsewhere in Asia, or even back home by offering trial lessons and building a referral-based client base.

Set your rates based on your niche and experience—$20 to $40 USD per hour is typical for exam prep, business English, or personalized speaking coaching. If you're new, start lower to build reviews and testimonials, then raise your rates as you gain traction.

For payments, many teachers use Wise or PayPal, though local bank transfers (for Taiwanese clients) may be an option if you have a local account. Use scheduling tools like Google Calendar, and stay on top of time zone differences—especially if you’re juggling students across Asia and beyond.

Building a solid private student base takes time, but once it’s in place, it gives you full control over your schedule, income, and teaching style. And with Taiwan’s stable work environment, it’s one of the best countries to grow that kind of freedom-focused online career.

Visa Options and Legal Considerations

If you’re teaching English in a school or buxiban in Taiwan, your employer will typically sponsor your work permit and ARC (Alien Resident Certificate). This gives you full legal status to live and work in Taiwan, along with access to the national healthcare system. Once you have your ARC, there’s usually no issue with teaching online on the side—as long as your primary role is with the sponsoring employer.

For online-only teachers, things get a bit murkier. Taiwan doesn’t currently offer a dedicated digital nomad visa, and working remotely while on a tourist visa is technically a grey area. That said, many online teachers continue to live in Taiwan quietly while working for clients abroad, especially if they’re not advertising local services.

If you're under 30 and hold a passport from countries like Canada, the UK, New Zealand, or Australia, you might be eligible for a working holiday visa, which allows you to stay in Taiwan for up to a year. While it's not designed specifically for remote work, it does offer a bit more flexibility than a tourist visa.

What many teachers do in practice:

• Use an ARC from a part-time or full-time teaching job to stay long-term while doing online teaching on the side
• Enter on a working holiday visa and teach online while traveling or studying Chinese
• Teach online full-time while on a tourist visa and do regular visa runs (less stable, and not recommended for long stays)

While enforcement is rare for online-only work done for foreign clients, it’s still important to stay discreet and informed. If you're looking for a long-term base with fewer legal questions, pairing online work with a part-time in-person job is often the smoothest path.

Cost of Living vs. Online Teaching Income

Taiwan isn’t the cheapest country in Asia, but it offers incredible value for the quality of life you get. If you’re earning in USD from online teaching, it’s still very affordable—especially outside of Taipei.

Average Monthly Expenses:

• Taipei: $1,000–$1,600 USD/month for rent, food, transport, healthcare, and basic entertainment
• Taichung or Kaohsiung: $800–$1,200 USD/month for a similar lifestyle at lower housing costs
• Smaller cities/towns: $600–$1,000 USD/month depending on lifestyle

Apartments in Taipei can range from $400–$900/month depending on location and size, while places in Taichung or Kaohsiung are often 30–50% cheaper. Food is a big perk—local meals cost around $3–$5, and even Western restaurants are fairly reasonable compared to other developed countries.

Income from Online Teaching:

• Budget platforms (e.g., Cambly, Engoo): $8–$12/hr
• Marketplace platforms (e.g., italki, Preply): $15–$30/hr depending on niche
• Private freelance students: $20–$40+/hr for test prep or business English

If you’re teaching 20 hours/week at $20/hr, you’re earning $1,600/month—more than enough to cover life in Taichung or Kaohsiung. With 25–30 hours or higher-paying students, you can easily support yourself in Taipei as well.

Blending In-Person and Online Work: Many teachers in Taiwan choose to combine part-time school jobs (for visa stability and regular income) with online teaching to supplement their earnings. This approach offers the best of both worlds—legal peace of mind, healthcare coverage, and extra income you can manage on your own terms.

Whether you're aiming to live simply and save, or want to enjoy a more upgraded lifestyle, Taiwan makes it possible through smart scheduling and a solid mix of income sources.

Best Places in Taiwan for Online Teachers

Taipei

Taipei is the beating heart of Taiwan—modern, fast-paced, and packed with opportunities. For online teachers, it offers some of the fastest internet in the country, a wide range of coworking spaces, and endless cafés with strong Wi-Fi. The city is incredibly livable, with great public transport, access to nature, and a thriving expat community. If you’re looking to combine teaching online with in-person work, Taipei gives you the most job variety. It’s the priciest city in Taiwan, but for many, the lifestyle is worth it.

Taichung

Taichung strikes a nice balance between affordability and convenience. It's Taiwan’s second-largest city, but feels less hectic than Taipei. Internet is just as reliable, and there are plenty of coworking spaces and cafés to work from. The cost of living is lower, housing is more spacious, and traffic is far more manageable. Many online teachers choose Taichung for its comfort and stability while still enjoying a good pace of life.

Kaohsiung

Down south, Kaohsiung offers a more relaxed, coastal atmosphere. It's ideal if you prefer warm weather, proximity to the ocean, and a slower lifestyle. While the online teaching infrastructure isn’t quite as built-up as in Taipei or Taichung, you’ll still find good internet, coworking spaces, and a growing digital nomad scene. It’s a great spot if you want to focus on teaching without the distractions of a big city.

Smaller Cities and Rural Areas

Places like Tainan, Hualien, and Chiayi can offer a peaceful and culturally immersive experience. These towns are quieter, with lower living costs and beautiful surroundings—but you’ll want to double-check internet reliability and coworking options before settling in. Teaching online is totally doable in these areas, especially if you already have a stable roster of students and don’t mind a bit of solitude.

Pros and Cons of Teaching English Online from Taiwan

✅ Pros

• High quality of life – Clean, safe, and organized with great healthcare and public services.
• Fast, reliable internet – Perfect for video calls and high-quality teaching sessions.
• Timezone alignment – Ideal for teaching students across East Asia or the Middle East.
• Stable infrastructure – No power cuts, no Wi-Fi dropouts, and plenty of coworking options.
• Opportunity to combine roles – Online teaching pairs well with classroom jobs or freelance gigs.

⚠️ Cons

• Visa challenges for remote-only work – There’s no official digital nomad visa, and tourist visas don’t legally allow online work, even for foreign clients.
• Higher cost of living – Compared to Southeast Asia, Taiwan is pricier, especially in Taipei.
• Limited community for online-only teachers – While the TEFL and expat communities are strong, online-only teachers might feel more isolated unless they actively network.
• Tax and residency considerations – If you stay long-term and earn online, you may need to navigate Taiwan’s tax system depending on your visa and income setup.

For online teachers who want structure, safety, and excellent living standards, Taiwan is one of the best places to set up shop. Just be prepared for a bit more paperwork and cost compared to some of its Southeast Asian neighbors.

Tips for Succeeding as an Online Teacher in Taiwan

Set up a focused workspace.
If you’re teaching regularly online, invest in a quiet, dedicated corner of your apartment. Most teachers use a ring light, decent mic or headset, and a laptop stand to create a professional teaching setup. In smaller spaces, noise-cancelling headphones and a simple background go a long way toward maintaining a distraction-free class environment.

Stay on top of time zones.
Taiwan is in GMT+8, which aligns well with peak student demand in China, Japan, and Korea. However, if you’re teaching students in the Middle East or Europe, you’ll need to schedule accordingly—often in the afternoon or evening. Use tools like Google Calendar or World Time Buddy to avoid confusion, especially if you're juggling platforms or private students across different regions.

Handle payments efficiently.
Most online teachers use Wise, PayPal, or Payoneer to get paid in USD or other currencies while living in Taiwan. If you're on a work visa with a local bank account, you can occasionally receive local payments from private clients or hybrid schools, but international services are often more flexible. Keep track of your earnings and fees—platform commissions and payment transfer costs can add up.

Know your visa and tax situation.
If you're on a school-sponsored ARC, you’re likely registered with Taiwan’s tax office and enrolled in national health insurance. If you're freelancing or teaching online full-time without a local employer, things get more complex. Taiwan doesn’t yet have a framework for digital nomads, so many online teachers either leave before they reach tax residency (183 days/year) or pair online work with a part-time teaching job for visa and legal stability.

Is Taiwan a Good Base for Online English Teaching?

Taiwan is an excellent base for teachers who want more than just a beach and a laptop. It’s ideal for people who appreciate structure, safety, and the conveniences of a developed country while still being immersed in a rich and welcoming culture.

It’s particularly well suited to:

• Experienced TEFL teachers who want to blend online and in-person work
• Digital nomads who prefer stability, healthcare, and urban comforts
• Expats and career changers looking for a longer-term, high-quality lifestyle

Combining classroom and online teaching is one of the most sustainable paths, especially for visa and income security. But even if you're fully remote, Taiwan is one of the few places in Asia where you can live comfortably, stay productive, and still feel part of a professional teaching ecosystem.

Whether you’re staying for a year or putting down roots, Taiwan offers a strong foundation for building your online teaching career while enjoying everything the island has to offer—from hot springs and hiking to high-speed rail and late-night dumplings.

Useful Resources and Next Steps

• Teach English in Taiwan – A full guide to classroom jobs, requirements, and life in Taiwan.
• English Teaching Jobs in Taiwan – Browse open roles in schools and language centers across the island.
• Teach English Online Guide – Compare top platforms, freelance strategies, and tools for success in the remote classroom.