Hot take: coworking spaces are overhyped for most digital nomads

I was in a cafe in Chiang Mai last month and overheard a guy bragging about his $300 a month coworking membership with the fancy chairs and networking events. I have been working from hostels and coffee shops for 2 years now and my productivity is fine. Sure those places look nice on Instagram but half the time you end up chatting instead of working. I tried one for a week in Bali and the wifi was actually worse than my hostel. The quiet corners I find at a local cafe or library cost me maybe $5 a day for a drink and a snack. Has anyone else found that coworking spaces just eat your budget without giving you much back?

2 comments

2 Comments

jana_fox501mo ago

Same here, tried one in Lisbon and felt like I paid extra just to sit near people bragging about their laptops.

seth6831mo ago

Oh man, people get so weirdly serious about where they sit to answer emails. I mean, I get wanting a quiet spot but dropping $300 so you can drink free coffee and hear someone's startup pitch feels like paying for a vibe that doesn't actually exist. I hopped into one in Medellin for a day and spent half the time trying to find an unbroken chair while a guy next to me talked loudly on a Zoom call about his blockchain thing. It's just a desk, not a lifestyle statement.