Switched from coworking spaces to coffee shops and saved $200 a month

I used to pay $250 a month for a hot desk at a coworking space in Chiang Mai. Thought I needed the fast WiFi and networking. Then a buddy pointed out I only talked to people during lunch breaks anyway. Now I work from a local coffee shop where a latte costs $2 and the WiFi is just as good. Anybody else ditch coworking memberships for something cheaper?

3 comments

3 Comments

rowan_roberts491mo ago

Wait, you're telling me the coworking space was charging $250 a month in Chiang Mai? That's insane. I paid like $100 for a similar setup there a couple years ago, but I guess prices went up. Anyway, coffee shop life is the move though. I get more done in a noisy cafe than a quiet desk, weirdly enough.

grantschmidt1mo ago

Oh man, you're totally right about the coffee shop thing. I've had the same experience - something about the background chatter and clatter actually helps me focus better than dead silence. I think it's because the noise level is consistent enough that your brain stops trying to process it, whereas in a quiet room every little sound becomes a distraction. I remember reading somewhere that a moderate amount of ambient noise actually boosts creative thinking, which makes sense when you think about how many writers and artists have worked out of cafes for decades. And honestly, if you get a good coffee and a reliable wifi spot, who needs a coworking space with all those membership rules anyway?

olivia_allen1d ago

You know, I used to think I needed total silence to get anything done, but your point about the brain stopping to process consistent noise really clicked for me. I tried working from a quiet library last week and every page turn was driving me crazy, but a busy cafe somehow lets me just zone in.