If you have a family in China you cannot afford to live and work if you teach. You need a high-paying job with benefits and teaching does not do it. Mortgage and school fees alone, plus insurance will completely burn the average ESL teacher's wages up 100%.

My salary of 5000 RMB/ month is sufficient to pay my monthly mortgage payments of 1400 RMB plus my Chinese stepdaughter's university tuition, lodging fees and food costs, as well as my Chinese wife's and my own living expenses. I'm drinking 2 large bottles of Chinese beer and smoking a pack of ciggies a day, costing 9 RMB in total. My wife does all the cooking. I'm teaching 14 clock hours/week with one hour needed to prepare my weekly lesson, and the flat is rent-free. No problem, unlike what it would be in the West. I can't imagine why you cannot afford to live and work in China as a teacher. Maybe you're still eating Western foods here, dining out at top restaurants, and drinking milk and coffee. In contrast, I'm not. I'm richer here in terms of spending power than high school teachers back home. And having to do precious little for it compared to them. I'd call my job a sinecure, but naturally I'm not working my guts out at a ropey training center. I've more sense than to do that. The public sector is where to teach in my opinion. I change my job every year, and so tour China while 'earning' my salary. As for insurance, I don't need it. I have western currency set aside to pay for medical bills.
Newbies please note: the cost of living in most Chinese cities and towns should not exceed 2000 RMB a month if you're relatively careful with your cash. No need to throw it around here to live quite well. Things are much cheaper than back home as a rule.