Serviced Apartments vs. Co-Living Spaces for Digital Nomads
The digital nomad lifestyle is exciting and vibrant, providing an opportunity to get to know and truly experience the world while maintaining a career. Many young world workers opt for the cheapest living environments, but there are times when the grind of traveling and the uncertainty of decent accommodation can begin to have a detrimental effect. Both co-living spaces and serviced apartments offer a home-away-from-home for many digital nomads but with very different outlooks.
What are the pros and cons of co-living vs. those of a serviced apartment? How do they differ, and where is it good to live as a digital nomad? Let’s take a look!
Serviced Apartments vs. Co-Living Spaces - The Key Points
Co-living spaces and serviced apartments both provide comfortable accommodation for the travelling worker.
With continued growth in the digital nomad sector, hotels are no longer the only option available for business travel.
Both co-living spaces and serviced apartments offer a lot more than just a bed for the night.
Co-living spaces are typically more affordable, but the luxury of serviced apartments is enviable, and well worth the additional cost.
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What is a Co-living Space? What is a Serviced Apartment?
Co-living spaces and serviced apartments are both becoming more common in the modern world, with some major cities, such as Singapore, becoming impressive hubs for both.
Co-living (as the name suggests) means sharing your living space with other people. The concept of a house and flat sharing has been around forever, but a dedicated co-living space takes that basic idea and redefines it for the 21st century, providing homes that have been designed with the co-living space in mind. Co-living spaces have dedicated work areas, high-speed wifi, and often fully equipped kitchens for all to use.
A serviced apartment or “aparthotel”, however, offers the privacy that co-living cannot provide. A type of accommodation that falls somewhere between a hotel and your own flat, serviced apartments are spacious places with separate bedrooms, kitchen, and living areas (just like a flat), but come with housekeeping services, security, and often even a concierge (just like a hotel).
When choosing your next stay as a digital nomad, there are compelling reasons for both.
What Are the Downsides of Co-living vs. Those of a Serviced Apartment?
The first comparison is that of privacy. A co-living space is, by its very nature, shared. In contrast, a serviced apartment offers a completely private space. For some, the social aspect of co-living is one of its pros, but most digital nomads would enjoy the freedom and privacy of a serviced apartment.
The next point for serviced apartments is security. Digital nomads, especially those who are more vulnerable, do often worry about the security of their co-living spaces - after all, pretty much anyone is free to come and go. Serviced apartments are not only private, they tend to include CCTV and even on-site security. When it comes to feeling safe for both you and your stuff, serviced apartments are rated very highly.
The third tick for serviced apartments is cleanliness. With housekeeping services, living in a serviced apartment is like being in a hotel. Depending on the company, serviced apartments can provide exceptional service.
Here, co-living spaces do often fall. You are at the whim of the other inhabitants when it comes to cleanliness, and unfortunately, that can mean dirty kitchens and filthy living areas - or regular arguments to stop that happening.
The fourth battle is over amenities. Serviced apartments often offer gyms, parking, and even an in-house cinema, whereas co-living spaces… hmm… actually, co-living spaces can do quite well too, with many modern co-living buildings offering similar facilities - even on-site gyms. A tie for amenities, then!
Three strong points up, does a serviced apartment have a downside? Of course, there is - cost. All the service that you receive does come with a price tag. Co-living has always put budget at the forefront as sharing bills is an excellent way of keeping costs down. It’s no surprise, therefore, that even the most reasonably priced serviced apartments struggle to compete on this front.
Where to Live as a Digital Nomad
The digital nomad can live anywhere - as long as there is a decent wifi connection and somewhere to sleep. It’s an appealing lifestyle, especially in a world of creative freelancing work. Photographers, writers, artists, website designers, and more all find the experiences offered by the travel to be incredibly rewarding.
Weighing the pros and cons of co-living against those of serviced apartments is informational, but in truth, a successful digital nomad should try both. There is much to gain from the community spirit and engagement of a co-living space however, if your digital nomad lifestyle is proving lucrative, it’s often worth the increase in budget for the undeniable luxury of a serviced apartment.
Life is not all about work, of course, and one of the huge advantages of working anywhere in the world is the opportunity to explore the cities and countries you find yourself in. From the non-stop 24-hour delights of New York, through the sumptuous luxury and history of London, to the unique culture of Hanoi, there is a huge amount to visit and take in as a digital nomad. These experiences enrich life and are some of the most compelling reasons to take your laptop on the road.
Of course, it isn’t just the dedicated digital nomad for whom serviced apartments and co-living spaces provide a welcome sanctuary and invitation to explore new lands. Both corporate travel and leisure - where business trips are extended for leisure reasons - are on the rise, as people seek to enjoy the world after the pandemic years.
It’s reassuring to see that, with both co-living and serviced apartments around the globe, the world is increasingly supportive of those who are able to make travel and exploration an enviable part of their working life.
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