Key Takeaways:
- Wichita, KS and Greensboro, NC metros offer the most budget-friendly open workspace subscriptions, priced at just $99 per month.
- Santa Maria, CA stands out as the priciest metro for both open workspaces and dedicated desks with median starting prices of $300 and $550, respectively.
- Rochester, NY and College Station, TX have the best deals for virtual offices at just $50 per month.
- Dayton, OH, Deltona, FL and Rochester, NY boast the most affordable meeting rooms at just $20 per hour, while Pittsburgh, PA offers the priciest at $75.
Coworking spaces have become the go-to solution for freelancers, startups and remote workers seeking productivity without sacrificing flexibility. Comparing Q4 2023 to Q4 2024, open workspace prices decreased slightly from $150 to $149, while virtual office rates remained steady at a national median of $120, the same as dedicated desks, which held at $300 per month. While the national market remained steady, local-level changes have occurred. So, in 2025, is coworking still an affordable option in U.S. metros?
With that in mind, we crunched the numbers to reveal the most and least expensive U.S. metros for the most popular coworking subscription types in 2025, ranked by the median starting price. Specifically, we compared prices for open workspaces, dedicated desks and virtual offices, while also introducing meeting rooms as a new category to provide a more comprehensive overview.
Use our dynamic tool to visualize and compare prices by location and membership type.
Open Workspaces, Changing Costs: Coworking Costs Rise, but New Entrants Keep National Median Affordable at $149
For those who thrive in a dynamic work environment, open workspaces offer flexibility and connection. That’s because these shared offices bring together remote professionals, freelancers, and small teams, thereby fostering collaboration and productivity while reducing isolation.
Most Expensive Metro Areas: 3 Locations Have a $300 Median Subscription — Twice the National Rate
Open workspaces had a national median price of $149 at the end of Q4 2024, although some metro areas saw prices more than double this figure. Among the most expensive markets are Santa Maria, CA, Bremerton, WA, and Poughkeepsie, NY, each with a median price tag of $300.
Santa Maria’s $50 increase from last year reflects its strong job market, which is driven by growth in industries such as high-tech research. Conversely, up in the Pacific Northwest, Bremerton’s economy is seeing growth in the arts and small business sectors, bringing new energy to its coworking scene, supported by entrepreneurs, freelancers, and startups.
Not far behind, the Albany, NY metro has maintained steady starting rates of $250 for open workstations since last year. Likewise, open workspace prices in Palm Bay, FL reached a similar level. Notably, the latter metro moved up 22 positions from last year’s breakdown, following a $100 increase in its median starting price. Additionally, Palm Bay’s proximity to the Indian River Lagoon and its natural attractions have supported economic development by drawing both remote workers and digital nomads.
Most Affordable Metro Areas: Coworking in Wichita & Greensboro as Affordable as $99/month
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Wichita, KS and Greensboro, NC are the only two metros with open workspace prices below $100, each sitting at exactly $99. In this case, Wichita’s affordability is paired with a growing tech sector that supports flexible work opportunities. For comparison, the Greensboro metro boasts a diverse economy in logistics and advanced manufacturing.
The next-most affordable market is Deltona, FL, with a median monthly price of $107. Here, the area’s economy thrives with a mix of health care and motorsports industries to offer a variety of career opportunities both on-site and remote.
Beyond these markets, 33 metros also remain below the national median with an average starting price of $119 per month. Among them, Phoenix, AZ (69 coworking spaces); Philadelphia, PA (62); and Portland, OR (45) stand out as the metro areas with the largest numbers of coworking spaces at this price point.
Navigating the Cost of Dedicated Workspaces: Affordable Trends Across the Country
Dedicated desks provide the collaboration of a shared workspace with the stability of a personal office, and this coworking type remains yours for the entire membership period. As such, members can settle into a daily routine without the need to find a new desk each day.
Most Expensive Metro Areas: Santa Maria’s $550 Rate Nears Twice the National Median
By the end of Q4 2024, the national median price for dedicated desks was recorded at $300. Once again, the Santa Maria, CA metro claimed the highest median starting price at $550 per month in 2025, reflecting a notable increase from the previous $495 in 2024.
A new entrant in this year’s report, Urban Honolulu, HI, follows closely with a median price of $500. Blending a wide range of industries, from healthcare to technology, this dynamic environment supports a variety of professional opportunities.
Not to be outdone, San Diego, CA ($425); New York, NY ($424); and Austin, TX ($419) follow at similar price points, each experiencing an increase of less than $25 from last year. In fact, San Diego offers almost $35,800 in potential annual savings when moving a small team from an office lease to a dedicated desk membership. That said, on the opposite coast, the New York metro leads in availability by offering 208 coworking spaces with dedicated-desk subscriptions. So, for a team of 10 in New York City, this option could generate potential yearly savings of up to $62,900.
Most Affordable Metro Areas: Grand Rapids Has Most Accessible Dedicated Desks
Grand Rapids, MI is the only metro where the median starting rate for a dedicated desk doesn’t exceed $200. Instead, monthly costs average around $189. Accordingly, businesses in the city can capitalize on this opportunity by shifting a small team from an office lease to a coworking space, potentially saving more than $22,400 per year.
At the same time, remote workers, solopreneurs, and small teams can secure dedicated-desk memberships for an average of $219 in Green Bay, WI; Ogden, UT and Indianapolis, IN. While Green Bay’s status as a Foreign Trade Zone enhances its appeal for businesses engaged in international trade, the Ogden metro has a growing life sciences sector that enhances opportunities for remote workers.
Indianapolis also stands out for its affordability with a notable 34% price difference between the office leases and dedicated desks. Thus, relocating a team of 10 to a coworking space could generate more than $14,800 in annual savings. Similarly, the Lansing, MI metro stands at just a $10 difference in median monthly rates. Its educational services and health care sectors support a wide range of professional opportunities.
The Price of Flexibility: Virtual Office Costs Trend Upward, but Affordable Options Keep Median at $120
For professionals who don’t need a daily office, but who still want the perks of a business presence, virtual offices offer a smart, cost-effective solution: They provide a reputable address for official documents, mail-handling services and access to phone or secretarial support. Virtual office costs vary by location and services, with some including even monthly meeting room hours for client meetings.
Most Expensive Metro Areas: Naples Charges Nearly 5 Times Rate of Rochester
With new entries in this year’s report, the national median for virtual offices holds steady at $120, even as prices trend upward in certain locations — sometimes reaching twice the median. For instance, Naples, FL leads due to its $240 median monthly price tag for this coworking subscription. Previously claiming the #39 spot in 2024, the metro moved up after a $90 increase from last year — a reflection of its thriving economy and the growth of its coworking market, which is bolstered by two new listings added in the past year.
Next, Trenton, NJ — the 2024 leader — maintained its $215 median rate, which remains close to double the national rate. Here, the region’s strong educational infrastructure supports a skilled workforce with Princeton University at its core.
Virtual offices in Reno, NV ($209), Tucson, AZ ($207), and Lexington, KY ($205), are available for just over $200 on average. A notable shift occurred in the Lexington metro, which climbed from its previous #71 spot, likely due to the addition of two new listings over the past year, contributing to a $115 increase in its median starting price.
Most Affordable Metro Areas: Rochester & College Station Have Most Affordable Virtual Offices
With a nearly $200 gap between the highest and lowest prices in this category, Rochester, NY and College Station, TX offer some of the most affordable virtual office options, each with a median monthly rate of $50. Close behind is Palm Bay, FL, at an average rate of $65. It’s followed by North Port, FL and Tulsa, OK at $75.
Granted, the cost of virtual offices is largely influenced by location prestige, but it also depends on the range of services offered. While some memberships provide only a professional business address and mail handling, others include additional features, such as secretarial support, phone-answering, access to amenities and limited meeting room hours. These elements make virtual office pricing highly flexible.
Meeting Room Pricing Nationwide: Great Value Across Major Metros, with Rates Starting as Low as $20/Hour
Meeting rooms provide a private, professional space for teams to collaborate, impress clients and brainstorm ideas without distractions. Equipped with essential tools like high-speed internet, presentation screens, or whiteboards, they create the ideal setting for productive discussions, brainstorming sessions and client meetings.
Most Expensive Metro Areas: Pittsburgh’s Median Starting Rate Nearly 4 Times Higher than Dayton’s
In business hubs like Pittsburgh, PA, strong demand and premium real estate drive up meeting room prices to $75 per hour — nearly four times higher than the most affordable options. This metro’s economy centers around health care, technology, and robotics and is driven by institutions like the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Carnegie Mellon University.
Otherwise, meeting rooms are available at a median starting rate per hour of $60 in Greensboro, NC; Ann Arbor, MI and Santa Maria, CA. Of course, the Ann Arbor metro is a hub for education, research and technology that’s anchored by the University of Michigan, which can have a great appeal for remote workers.
Just $1 lower, Bridgeport, CT ($59) is a major financial and corporate hub that’s home to hedge funds, investment firms and Fortune 500 companies — factors that likely contribute to its meeting room pricing.
Most Affordable Metro Areas: 3 Locations Lead in Affordable Meeting Room Rates
Dayton, OH, Deltona, FL and Rochester, NY offer meeting rooms at an average hourly rate of $20, each with distinct economic strengths that highlight both the demand for and affordability of these spaces. For example, Dayton is renowned for and supported by its proximity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Further south in Deltona, industries such as tourism, health care and motorsports drive economic activity, contributing to the demand for flexible meeting spaces. In the same way, Rochester has become a center for education, health care, and technology with institutions like the University of Rochester and the Eastman Business Park driving its economic growth.
Two additional affordable options include Portland, ME — where the median hourly rate for meeting rooms starts at $21 — and Des Moines, IA, at $25.
Discover Median Starting Prices for Coworking Subscriptions in Your Area
Explore our interactive bar chart to view median starting prices for coworking subscriptions in your metro area and see how they stack up against the broader region.
Methodology:
- The report focused on median monthly starting prices per person for a virtual office, open workspace and dedicated desk coworking subscriptions. For meeting rooms, hourly rates are used.
- To determine the most and least expensive regions, we sorted Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) based on the median monthly subscription price for each membership type. The MSAs considered for this report were as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
- MSAs with fewer than five separate listings were excluded to ensure a statistically significant sample size.
- The number of coworking spaces considered in each metro area depends on whether they offer the types of subscriptions being analyzed. For example, coworking spaces in the Chicago metro that don’t offer virtual offices were excluded from the analysis of virtual office prices in that area.
- The median price represents the middle point in the range of coworking subscription prices. It’s the value at which half of the spaces are priced higher and half are priced lower, thereby offering a more balanced snapshot than averages.
- The report relied solely on the listing data available on CoworkingCafe as of January 20, 2025.
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