How Much Do English Teachers Make in Peru?

*NOTE: As of January 2023, Peru is experiencing some political instability, which may impact the TEFL job market, including salaries and employment opportunities.

From the headwaters of the Amazon to the mystical ruins of Machu Picchu, Peru’s historical and natural offerings are second to none. The national capital of Lima, home to 10 million people, has blossomed into a very large and promising job market for ESL teachers abroad in South America - and it only continues to grow.

Peru offers many benefits for English teachers, including a low cost of living, great travel opportunities, and fewer hiring restrictions than some other countries in Central and South America.

Enticing, right? But how much can you make in Peru? Let's find out together.

English Teacher in Peru Salary

How Much Does an English Teacher Earn in Peru?

On average, English teachers in Peru can expect to make anywhere between $500 - $1,000 USD per month with the option to earn additional income through private tutoring ($10-20 USD per hour) and teaching English online ($5-$20 USD per hour).

Your salary will fluctuate depending on which teaching route you choose to pursue.

Read more: How much can I make teaching English abroad?

Peru Teaching Salary: The Details

There are several different teaching opportunities available for TEFL-certified teachers in Peru. ESL (English as a second language) teachers who ultimately spend time teaching English in Peru do so via one of the following avenues:

1. Teaching adults in English language schools
2. Private tutoring adults
3. Teaching business English to adults
4. Teaching English online 
5. A combination of the above.

Let's explore each option and what you can expect to earn from them:

1. Peru Language School Salaries

Major TEFL markets in Peru can be found in Lima, Cusco, and Arequipa. The school year in Peru runs from March - December with peak hiring seasons being February - March, and July - August. While some schools will interview in advance over the phone and via email, most English teachers are expected to interview in person once they arrive in Peru.

Pay will fluctuate depending on where you are located, with teachers in larger cities like Lima earning more than those teaching in smaller cities and towns. English teachers working at language schools in Peru can expect to make anywhere between $500 - $1,000 USD per month.

Visa Options for Teaching English in Peru

Tourist Visa for Teaching English in Peru

Teachers in Peru typically teach on a 90-day tourist visa. For American English teachers, no paperwork is required to get this tourist visa, it is just a stamp in your passport that you’ll be issued upon arrival at a Peruvian airport. Once in-country, you are able to submit an application to extend your 90-day tourist visa up to a maximum of 183 days total (6 months). 

In order to avoid any overstay fees, you must leave Peru after your 183-day stay.

Read More: What Type of Visa Do I Need for Teaching English in Peru?

2. Peru Private English Tutoring Salaries

Private tutoring ESL students (especially adults) is extremely common among English teachers in Peru. Teachers that choose this route are often:

• Teaching English in Peru at a language school and taking on some private tutoring students to help supplement their income; 
• Teaching English online and seeking supplemental income by privately tutoring students in addition to their online teaching job;
• Solely providing private-tutoring lessons as their only form of income.

Getting clients for private lessons is a marketing exercise, and all the avenues that seem appropriate to your circumstances have to be explored. Here are some ways you can market yourself:

• Post notices in schools and universities, coffee shops, supermarkets, or corner shops;
• Run an advertisement in the local paper;
• Send notices to local public schools, announcing your willingness to work with local students on their English;
• Compile a list of addresses of professionals (lawyers, architects, etc.) who may need English for their work and have the resources to pay for it and then contact them;
• Call on export businesses, distribution companies, perhaps even travel agencies;
• Get ESL business cards made before you leave your home country that has your name, email address, and phone number on them.

How much money can I make from private tutoring ESL students in Peru?

As a private ESL tutor in Peru, you should expect to charge and make around $10-15 USD per hour for one-on-one lessons (depending on where in Peru you are based). If you are providing private tutoring lessons for small groups (2-3 students at a time), it's possible to increase your rates as your small group of students will be splitting the hourly cost amongst themselves. 

Something to keep in mind - a student may only be after a single private tutoring lesson, or a handful, and can withdraw from their lessons with you at any time. As a result, you should be cautious when trying to budget your private tutoring income too far into the future.

3. Peru Business English Teaching Salaries

Business English involves typically involves teaching employees business-specific English at their place of employment. As a business English teacher in Peru, you can expect to make anywhere between $500 - $1,000 USD per month.

Pay will fluctuate depending on where you are located, with teachers in larger cities like Lima earning more than those teaching in smaller cities and towns. Another cause for a fluctuation in pay may include the number of times a business requests your services over the course of the month.

4. Peru Teaching English Online Salaries

Like private ESL tutoring, teaching English online is an extremely popular way for teachers to make money. Many ESL teachers in Peru teach online as their sole job and income, while others do it to supplement the income they earn from teaching at a language school or from private tutoring. 

Teaching English online provides TEFL-certified teachers with the opportunity to make money from the comfort of their own homes, with most teachers being able to make anywhere from $5-$20 USD per hour. Hours are flexible and it is up to you how much or how little you teach - you are in total control of your schedule. 

If you are looking to ensure students are within your same timezone, check out these three online ESL schools based in Latin America:

• Beyond English - starting pay is $17 USD per hour taught for U.S. teachers
• Open English - earn up to $15 USD per hour
• Latin Hire - compensation varies depending on the total amount of hours you are available to work

A key advantage of teaching online is that you can begin teaching and making money before you move to Peru. This is a great way to help cover the start-up costs of your move and will ensure that you have an income immediately upon your arrival in Peru. 

Additional Reading: To learn more about how much you can earn from online ESL teaching, please read How Much Money Can I Make Teaching English Online? Need help finding an online teaching platform? Check out Non-Chinese ESL Companies to Teach English Online With.

Expenses for Teaching English in Peru

There are two categories of expenses that need to be taken into consideration for those looking to teach English in Peru:

1. Start-up costs
2. Cost of living 

Let's explore each of the two in more detail.

1. Start-Up Costs for Teaching English in Peru

Start-up costs are expenses you will incur from your arrival in Peru until you receive your first paycheck and may include things like a security deposit and first month's rent, apartment supplies, transport, groceries, getting your new local cell phone number set up, etc. 

Start-up costs should be enough to cover your first month of living in Chile and will range somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500 USD. This is the minimum amount of savings you should have on hand before leaving home and arriving in Peru. If you have more, great, but if you have less, you may be setting yourself up for failure from the get-go which can cause unnecessary added stress during an already stressful period of adaption and change.

2. Cost of Living for Teaching English in Peru

Cost of living refers to everyday monthly expenses you will incur during your time in Peru. The most popular expenses that fall under this category include:

• Monthly rent expenses
• Utilities (electricity, gas, water bills, etc)
• Food and grocery expenses
• Health insurance
• Internet bill
• Cell phone bill
• Transportation (transit card, ride-sharing services, etc)
• Travel/entertainment expenses

Your cost of living expenses can vary drastically based on where in Peru you are based. For example, those living in larger cities like Lima can expect to have a higher cost of living compared to those located in smaller cities or towns. As a general rule of thumb, you should budget $500 - $1,000 USD per month to cover your cost of living. 

Peru is very much a break-even country, meaning you can cover your rent and bills, support yourself, live comfortably, and enjoy your life abroad to the fullest, but you shouldn't expect to save money at the end of each month. If you are hustling and taking on private tutoring lessons and/or teaching English online in addition to your regular teaching schedule, you may increase your ability to save and come out on top at the end of each month.

Go further:

• Requirements for teaching English in Peru
• Peru TEFL Country Profile