I know a few teaching ex-pats in southern China who make 14 000 rmb a month doing private tuition. However, I say big deal, it is still shit money compared to the whopping salaries people can earn doing other things Australia or New Zealand. That is even taking cost of living into account. Teaching is and always will be peanut money. My rule: make the big money in a Western country, buy a house and car (for yourself) there and leave 150, 000 dollars or so in a term deposit. Take the rest and piss off to some tropical paradise in South East Asia and just rent a nice apartment. Way to go!