Hangzhou at A Glance

Hangzhou, pronounced as [haNGˈjō] or Hang·chow, is one of the seven ancient capitals in China. Hangzhou is famous for its fabulous natural scenery, and the most representative spot is West Lake. Hence, there is an old saying: As paradise in Heaven; Suzhou and Hangzhou are on earth.

Hangzhou has a good name for the “Town of Fish and Rice” due to the humid weather and various products. Besides the beautiful view, Hangzhou is also the capital as well as the political, economic, and cultural center of Zhejiang province.

Where Is Hangzhou

Hangzhou is located along the southeast coast of China. And it is on the north bank of the Qiantang River and at the head of Hangzhou Bay, near Shanghai city.

Population of Hangzhou

The permanent resident population of Hangzhou is 10.36 million by the end of 2019, and the city's population density is 480 people per square km.

Weather in Hangzhou

Hangzhou is a city with humid weather. The average precipitation is 71.6 mm per month and humidity is 74%. The city has four distinctive seasons and enjoys a highest temperature of 34 °C in the summer as well as a lowest temperature of 2℃ in winter. 

As for the air quality, in 2019, there were 287 days in Hangzhou with good or excellent air quality.

How to Get to Hangzhou

There is one international airport in Hangzhou: Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, and it is 27 kilometers away from the city center. Besides, there are three railway stations: Hangzhou station, Hangzhou Dong station, and Hangzhou Nan station. 

Hangzhou is in the southwest of Shanghai, and the distance between the two cities is 161 kilometers (100 miles), which lasts about one and a half hours by car.

Teach English in Hangzhou, Zhejiang

Due to the high speed of economic growth in recent decades, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Shanghai provinces, which are all located in the south-east of China, are known for attaching great importance to education. The education reform begins in these three provinces and the students there are considered more intelligent because they receive well education since they are young.

As the capital of Zhejiang province, Hangzhou gathers almost all the best educational resources in the province, and there is a huge market in foreign teachers.

International School Jobs in Hangzhou

There are many international schools in Hangzhou. Some of them belong to education groups, BASIS international school as an example; some are cooperative schools such as Olive Tree International Academy, BFSU, and RDFZ King's College School.

Overall, there are higher requirements for ESL teachers in international schools than in the training center and kindergarten. All the teachers have required a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and the average working experience expected by most international schools is one to two years; some jobs even require a teacher with three to five years of working experience. However, most of the schools provide house or equivalent housing allowance, insurance, flight allowance, paid public holidays, and so on. 

Click and check more information about these top international schools with TTJ:

• Hangzhou Dongfang High School
• Hangzhou Entel Foreign Language School
• Hangzhou Greentown Yuhua Primary School
• Hangzhou No.14 Middle School
• Hangzhou Shanghai World Foreign Language School
• Hangzhou Wickham International School
• Huili School Hangzhou
• Olive Tree International Academy affiliated to Beijing Foreign Studies University
• Wahaha Bilingual School Hangzhou
• Wahaha International School Hangzhou

Kindergarten Jobs in Hangzhou

Most kindergartens in Hangzhou have a huge demand for ESL teachers. However, due to all the parents want their kids to learn standard English at the beginning, nearly 90% of kindergartens in Hangzhou mentioned that they want to recruit the teacher from an English speaking country (See TTJ's Career Advice for details on English speaking country).

As for working experience, a freshman teacher with less than one-year working experience is acceptable in most kindergartens. 

However, unlike the ESL teacher in the training center, the teachers in kindergarten are not limited in teaching language, but also need to instruct students and meet students' varying needs and interests. 

Training Center Jobs in Hangzhou

Most of the well-known training center open their chapters in Hangzhou, including EF (Education First), Hampson, and New Oriental Education, and there are small numbers of local training centers. 

Most of the education centers need ESL teachers, and they do not emphasize working experience, less than one year experience is acceptable. However, the same as the ESL teacher in kindergartens in Hangzhou, there is a high proportion demand for native English speakers, and nearly 90% of the training center in Hangzhou mentioned it in the job description according to our Hangzhou City&Salary 2020 Research Report. 

How Much Do You Get Paid to Teach in Hangzhou?

For ESL teacher in Hangzhou, the average salary in international school ranks first, which is around ¥20,000($2854)per month. Then is in kindergarten, the last is in the training center. 

To see the more about the average salary, please scroll down to unlock the 'Hangzhou City&Salary 2020 Research Report’.

Type of School	Monthly Basic Salary
Training Center	¥13,593($1,940) - ¥21,700($3,097)
International School	¥19,000(2,711) - ¥26,866 ($3,834)
Kindergarten	¥16,200($2,312) - ¥21,200($3025)

Hangzhou ESL Job Requirements

According to TTJ "Hangzhou City&Salary 2020 Research Report", the minimum bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite for all the teachers in international schools, training centers, and kindergartens. 

For teaching in training centers and kindergarten, there is a huge demand for native English speakers, which accounts for about 90% among all the job opening. However, there are still many opportunities for you if you have a good or standard accent. 

As for the working experience, the ESL teachers in international schools are required one to two years of working experience, which is higher than the other industries. 

Last but not least, you should hold the no criminal record.

Live in Hangzhou, China

Hangzhou is a city of history and modernity. As a New Tier 1 City (See city's rank in TTJ's glossary) as well as the birthplace of Alibaba, Hangzhou enjoys a high-speed development in the economy in recent years. However, the life speed there is not as fast as Shanghai, hence it is a good place for both works and lives. 

Things to Do in Hangzhou

Hangzhou is famous for its beautiful landscapes. When coming to Hangzhou, one of the most significant spots you cannot miss is the West Lake (Xi Hu). You can rent a bike and ride around the late and feel the breeze on a sunny day. 

Besides the West Lake, Lingyin Temple and Lei Feng Pagoda are also the attraction you cannot miss, and they are all located near the West Lake. Lingyin Temple is one of the most significant and beautiful Buddhist monasteries in China and Lei Feng Pagoda is a tall tower full of historical stories and interesting legends.

With respect to eating, being a significant component of Zhejiang Cuisine, which is one of the Eight Famous Cuisines in China, Hangzhou cuisine is known for its mild-tasting. 

One of the top classical Hangzhou dishes is Braised Dongpo Pork, which is created Su Dongpo, a famous litterateur in the North Song Dynasty about one thousand years ago. The Braised Dongpo Pork is oil but not greasy, and it tastes tender enough to dissolve in your mouth immediately.

Cost of Living in Hangzhou

The average cost of a family (four people) is ¥11,694 ($1669) without rent. If you are single, the cost decreases to ¥3,213 ($458). 

As for the rent, the rent cost in Hangzhou is much lower than in that in Shanghai. A single apartment with one bed in city center costs around ¥3,115 ($445), while with three bedroom costs about ¥6,950 ($992). 

Where to Live in Hangzhou

Hangzhou has eight districts and five counties (cities). Among them, Shangcheng District and Xiacheng District are the center of the city, and in Xihu district you can enjoy the most beautiful view.

Hangzhou Subway Map

There are 5 subway lines (line1, 2, 4, 5, and 16) are in operation by April 2020, with 120 stations and total operating mileage of 206km. And 13 lines will be built before the 2022 Asian Games.

Hangzhou City&Salary Report