The short answer? Between €1,200 – €1,600 on average.
This answer is based on TEFL trainer academy resources and online forum discussions, such as this 2023 Reddit thread. The TEFL Academy claims salaries range from €700-€3,000. The lower end of that range is represented by the North American Language and Culture Assistants programme, while the top end is represented by positions in private or international schools (where higher qualifications and more experience will be required). Tefl Iberia claims the average English Teacher working 16-22 hours per week can expect around €1,300. TEFL Zone claims the average TEFL Barcelona salary is between €1,500-€2,000 per month, while EBC’s ‘unfiltered look’ puts it at €1,400–€1,800 per month for 20–25 contact hours.
Top factors which will affect your Barcelona TEFL salary
Your academy
As noted in Mafe’s Barcelona TEFL experience, the academy you work for is the ‘make or break’ factor. There can be a huge difference between hourly rates, with some academies paying less than the ‘standard’ of €15/hour, and some paying up to €28/hour, or more. The number of hours offered is also something to consider. It’s no use working for a high hourly rate if the number of hours you get is not sufficient, or if you can’t supplement your income with private classes/a side hustle. Do your research and try your best to avoid bad ESL employers.
Your proactivity (or lack thereof)
If you really want to save and move forward financially as a TEFL teacher in Barcelona, you’ll need to be proactive about building up your own schedule. Barcelona has a very high cost of living compared to other Spanish cities. The average TEFL salary will stretch much further in smaller cities and you will have to hustle and be able to pivot quickly in Barcelona to make ends meet and grow your savings. That means building up your own schedule with private classes and exploring other income avenues (keeping everything as above board as possible).
Your working rights (non-EU citizens)
Anecdotally, non-EU citizens seem to have quite inconsistent working rights. It seems to hinge on whether you are awarded a student visa (through your TEFL programme, for instance) or a work visa. I have heard stories of friends being granted visas with a limited number of hours they can work (this friend is a U.S citizen), and work visas with unlimited working hours (a friend from the U.K). Those on student visas are often offered a lower salary, or may not have the same rights as their EU colleagues.
It’s also important to keep in mind that things are constantly changing. By the time you read this blog, in all likelihood it will have changed again. It can be difficult for TEFL industry bodies and organisations to keep up, so tapping into the community through online forums, such as this Reddit thread, can be useful.
Don’t rely solely on the information given to you by your TEFL trainer academy or the third party you booked through. In the case of my TEFL cohort, three of our classmates had to unexpectedly return to the U.K. for several months upon completion of the course because of outdated information provided by the third party they’d booked through.
To be (autonomo), or not to be (autonomo), that is the question.
Your earnings potential increases significantly as a freelancer (‘autonomo’), as you can work independently and companies will pay you a higher hourly rate. However, becoming an autonomo is incredibly complicated and seems to come with a whole range of difficulties. These include the government’s right to embargo your salary, the hefty monthly autonomo fee before taxes, social security differences, and the necessity of hiring a ‘gestor’ (a legal expert).
This year, over 1,500 self employed workers protested in Barcelona against the current social security contribution requirements. There was also a recent backlash against planned autonomo fee hikes. While there are some positive experiences of going autonomo out there, it overall seems like a significant challenge. It’s up to you to weigh up the pros and cons of going autonomo as a TEFL teacher, and decide what’s best for your situation.
The takeaway: People don’t come to Barcelona for the money (in general)
In 2025, the average Spanish salary after taxes was €1,765. The minimum gross wage is €1,381 per month. This means most TEFL teachers in Barcelona are earning somewhere between just below minimum wage and the average Spanish salary.
The bottom line is that people don’t move to Spain, and Barcelona even less so, for the money. They come for the lifestyle, the rich culture, and the experience. So if this is your main motivation for TEFL, I suggest checking out these high-paying TEFL markets instead.