Coworking vs lease
Desks by the month or an office of your own? Put both on the same timeline, including fit-out and furniture, and find the month the lease pays back.
Over your horizon
| Coworking total | — |
| Lease total (incl. upfront) | — |
| Upfront for the lease | — |
| Coworking per month | — |
| Lease running cost per month | — |
| Leased area | — |
| Lease pays back after | — |
What the comparison includes
Coworking is priced as one monthly number per desk or per office, which bundles furniture, internet, cleaning, utilities and some meeting-room time. A lease splits the same things into rent, operating costs and one-off spending on fit-out, furniture and technology. The calculator puts both on a single timeline so you compare like with like.
The break-even is the month when the lease's lower running cost has paid back its upfront spending. If that month falls inside your horizon, the lease is cheaper overall; if not, coworking is — before you even put a value on flexibility.
What it leaves out
- Flexibility. Being able to add or drop desks monthly has real value when headcount is uncertain.
- Incentives. Rent-free months and fit-out allowances can transform a lease's economics; enter fit-out net of any allowance.
- Exit costs. Reinstatement or dilapidations at the end of a lease, and the risk of paying for empty space if you shrink.
- Deposits. Cash tied up in a deposit or bank guarantee is not a cost, but it matters to a young company.
The middle options
Between a hot desk and a ten-year lease sit fitted suites, managed offices (a provider runs a private floor for you) and subleases with furniture included. These often deliver most of a lease's cost advantage with a fraction of the commitment. Read coworking vs private office vs lease and subleasing office space.
Questions people ask
When does leasing beat coworking?
Usually when the team is larger and the horizon longer: the upfront fit-out and furniture are spread over more months and more people. For small teams on horizons under two or three years, coworking or a fitted suite is often cheaper and far more flexible.
What does a coworking desk price include?
Typically the desk or office, furniture, internet, cleaning, utilities, kitchen and some meeting-room credits. Check for extras such as printing, additional meeting hours, parking, storage and day passes for guests.
What costs does a lease add?
Base rent, operating costs or service charges, property taxes where passed through, utilities, cleaning, insurance, fit-out or reinstatement at the end, furniture, IT and telecoms, and often a deposit or bank guarantee.
Can I get a fitted office on a lease?
Yes. Many landlords now offer fitted or 'plug-and-play' suites, and subleases often come with furniture. Both cut the upfront cost and move the break-even point closer.
For planning only, not financial advice. Read our disclaimer.