My Decade in China
Let me start with China, because that's where this whole life began for me. I spent ten years there, mostly as a university teacher at the top school in Sichuan province.
That job was a cheat code. I worked Monday and Tuesday and had the other five days off. Over four months of paid vacation a year, so basically over half the year was mine. That kind of free time let me build up side ventures on top of the teaching.
China set me up. Amazing job options, a solid income against a low cost of living, and I paid off over $17,000 in student loan debt after leaving America. It gave me the strongest financial start I could have asked for.
Why I Left China for Thailand
So if China was that good, why did I leave? Simple. After ten years, I wanted a different pace of life. I did China from age 23 to 33, a huge chunk of my life, and I was ready to try something new.
Thailand's the new chapter. Chiller, slower, more of a beach vibe, just a different pace of life, which is exactly what I was after. And here I'm 100% online with my teaching, where in China I did both in-person and online. I'm just trying different lifestyles, seeing what fits me now. It's not that China went bad, I'd happily go back. I need to do some shopping over there anyway.
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Where They Really Differ
People want me to declare a winner on China vs Thailand, but the honest answer is they're just different animals. Here's how they actually stack up in my experience.
China's the loaded one for work: tons of teaching options, and the cities are super convenient, cheap and easy to get around on rideshare, taxis, and the subway. The shopping is unreal. And don't let the media scare you off, what they show about China and the actual reality of living there are usually completely different. On cost, China surprises people too, plenty of areas run the same as Thailand or even cheaper.
Thailand trades some of that for pace. It's calmer, warmer, more beach-town energy, and it's where I wanted to slow down and try something new after ten years in China. Neither one is better. They just fit different seasons of your life.
So, Which One? My Honest Answer
So which do I actually recommend? Neither, and both. I genuinely can't choose. I'm perfectly fine spending the rest of my life in either one.
The real question isn't which country wins, it's which one fits where you're at right now. China was perfect for my come-up years, max job options and a financial head start. Thailand fits me now, slower pace, working online. So pick for the season you're in, not for somebody's ranking.
And whatever you pick, go see it for yourself. Guys who've actually spent time in these places will tell you the reality is nothing like what the media sells you. If you're weighing other matchups, I also compared Philippines vs Thailand, and wrote up what it's like to live in China day to day.
How You Actually Get There (Teaching English)
Whichever one calls you, the on-ramp is the same: English teaching. It's funded my life for over twelve years, and there's no scarcity here. We're talking hundreds of thousands of jobs out there, probably millions.
That's exactly why I'm happy to tell you about it, there's more than enough to go around. You can be overseas teaching within 30 to 90 days, and with online teaching you can get started in a couple of weeks, right from the States. Line up the income first, then build other streams on top. Here's what English teaching actually is.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is China or Thailand better for expats?
Honestly I cannot pick. I spent ten years in China and now live in Thailand, and both have been amazing. China gave me the strongest financial start and the most job options. Thailand gives me a chiller, slower pace. It comes down to where you are in life.
Is China or Thailand cheaper to live in?
They are close. China has plenty of areas where the cost of living is the same as Thailand or even lower, so it is not the obvious win people assume.
Is China or Thailand better for teaching English?
China has a huge number of teaching jobs and set me up financially over ten years. In Thailand I teach 100 percent online. Both work. There are hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs out there, so you are not short on options in either place.
Is China safe for American expats?
In my ten years there I had a great time. The American media loves to scare you about China, but what the media shows and the actual reality of being there are usually completely different. Go see for yourself.