The coworking space hype is kind of missing the point

I've been bouncing around Southeast Asia for about a year now, and I keep seeing new digital nomads show up and immediately drop $200 a month on a fancy coworking desk. They treat it like a status thing, but half of them just sit there on Zoom calls all day anyway. I was at a spot in Chiang Mai last week and counted 8 people in a room clearly designed for 5, all on calls at the same time. Has anyone else found better luck just working from a quiet cafe or hostel common area instead?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_simon28d agoMost Upvoted

A buddy of mine landed in Bali last month all hyped up about the coworking scene. He signed up for this big place near Canggu, the one with the pool and the fancy lighting, paid like $250 upfront for a month. First week he showed up, his wifi kept cutting out during client calls, and the air conditioning was so loud he could barely hear himself talk. Meanwhile the hostel he was staying at had a rooftop common area with solid internet, free coffee, and nobody bothering you unless you wanted company. He ended up just working from there the rest of the month and told me he felt stupid for dropping all that cash. I think a lot of these coworking spots are more about looking the part than actually helping you get work done.

henderson.oscar24d ago

Wait, isn't that just another way of admitting the hype is mostly marketing though?

jordan90328d ago

I get where you're coming from, but that one bad experience doesn't mean all coworking spaces are scams. Your buddy picked a flashy place that probably spends more on Instagram aesthetics than on actual infrastructure. There are plenty of smaller coworking spots in Bali that have reliable fiber internet and quiet AC units, you just have to skip the influencer traps. Hostels can be great for solo work, but they get loud and crowded fast when a big group shows up or someone starts blasting music. I've been using a no-frills coworking place in Ubud for two months now and the internet has never dropped once during my calls. A decent workspace with a door that closes and guaranteed power is still worth paying for over a hostel common area if you need to focus.