The 10 Happiest Countries In The World To Teach In

What is the happiest country in the world?

Have you thought about it? Where would you guess? Spain, with an average of 300 days of sunshine a year? Nepal, with 35 public holidays every year? India, which reportedly has the most attractive people in the world?

Where in the world do the happiest people live? Why are they so happy? And – most importantly – can I teach there?

If, like us, you’ve wondered about teaching English as a foreign language in one of the happiest countries in the world, then read on!

What do we mean by “the happiest country in the world”?

Every year since 2012 the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network publishes a report. This report is titled the World Happiness Report. The World Happiness Report uses six key factors to determine the happiness level of over 150 countries:

• social support
• income
• health
• freedom
• generosity
• absence of corruption

This survey asks questions along the lines of:

If you imagine a ladder whose rungs are numbered zero to 10, and zero represents your worst possible life and 10 represents your best, which rung would you be on?

In other words, people rate their quality of life on a scale from 0 to 10.

What is the happiest country in the world?

 Finland is the happiest country in the world. It has been for the last SIX years.

The countries which were found to be the top ten happiest countries of the world in 2023, are:

• Finland
• Denmark
• Iceland
• Sweden
• Israel
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Luxembourg
• Switzerland
• Australia

The UK placed 20th and the US placed 23rd – and South Africa 83rd. Costa Rica and Kuwait are two new entrants in the top 20. 

Why is Finland the happiest country in the world?

What the report has shown is that people are satisfied with their lives when they have:

• a comfortable standard of living,
• trust in their government,
• good health,
• a sense of control, and
• a supportive social network.

What’s more, so-called happy countries generally have universal health care, affordable childcare and plenty of paid leave.

Interestingly, America has never made it into the top ten, which shows you that happiness levels are not dependent on the wealth of a nation. 

But we knew that already, didn’t we?

Can I teach in one of the happiest countries in the world?

This is the question we’re all asking. After all, why wouldn’t we want to live there? As teachers of English as a foreign language, the question then becomes: can I teach English there? 

Read more: 11 Best Countries To Teach English Abroad in 2024

But when you think about it, the happiest countries in the world may not be the best countries for teachers. TEFL teachers have their own set of criteria to evaluate the best countries to be a teacher.

According to a recent survey conducted by The TEFL Academy, the top reasons TEFL teachers chose to teach in a specific country are:

• demand for teachers
• interest in the culture
• low cost of living
• low levels of crime, and
• friendliness to foreigners.

So the demand for teachers is the most important consideration in choosing a teaching destination abroad. The so-called happiest countries generally don’t have a very high demand for TEFL teachers, with the exception of Australia. So it seems that the happiest places in the world to live are not the same as the best countries to teach in.

When we look at the factors affecting TEFL teachers’ choice of teaching destination we need to come up with our own list of best countries to be a teacher.

The best countries to be a teacher

The most popular countries for our TEFL teachers to live abroad in are (drum roll, please):

• South Korea (9% of our teachers surveyed live or have lived and taught in South Korea)
• Spain (9%)
• China (7%)
• Italy (6%)
• Vietnam (6%)

Now let’s look at teaching in these countries.

Teaching English in South Korea

It makes sense that South Korea is a fave with TEFL teachers. Jobs are plentiful, salaries are generous, the culture is rich and fascinating. 

Teaching English in South Korea can mean teaching in a public school through a government-sponsored program such as EPIK or SMOE, teaching at a university, or teaching in a hagwon. The most popular cities for TEFL positions in South Korea are Seoul, Daegu and Busan. The average teaching salaries in South Korea range from $1,700 to $3,100 but include generous packages.

Teaching English in Spain

Is it the food? Is it the sunshine? Is it the lifestyle? We’re pretty sure it’s a combination of all of those things that make teaching English in Spain so popular. As an added bonus, if you’re an EU national, there are plenty of jobs in Spain which don’t require a degree.

TEFL jobs in Spain can be found as a language teaching assistant or teacher in public or private schools, in private language academies, and summer camps. Many teachers in Spain work on a freelance basis. Popular cities for teaching English in Spain are Barcelona, Madrid and Seville. The average teaching salary in Spain is between $750 and $3,500 a month.

Teaching English in China

An abundance of teaching jobs coupled with generous salaries and a fascinating culture make teaching English in China a unique adventure for the TEFL teacher.

TEFL teachers can find teaching jobs in China in universities, public and private schools, kindergartens, and private language academies. Popular cities to teach in China are Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Xi’an. The average teaching salary in China is between $1,200 and $5,00 a month.

Read more: Can I Teach English In China If I Don’t Speak Chinese? Yes!

Teaching English in Italy

Pizza, pasta, pizazz – all this and more awaits you when teaching English in Italy. And with a great work-life balance, what more could you ask for?

Teaching jobs are usually in public schools, private language schools, and summer camps. Private tutoring is also common. Popular cities to teach in Italy are Rome, Milan and Florence. The average teaching salary in Italy is between $2,000 and $2,500.

Teaching English in Vietnam

Teaching English in Vietnam offers low-cost living in a tropical paradise. And not to mention TEFL jobs in abundance!

TEFL jobs can be found in international schools, language schools, and private lessons. There is also a government English teaching assistant program. Popular cities to teach English in Vietnam include Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi and Da Nang. The average salary in Vietnam is from $1,000 to $2,000 a month, but with such a low cost of living your saving potential is high.

So there you have it, the best countries to teach English in, as voted for by TEFL teachers themselves.

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