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Coworking vs managed office vs leasing your own office
Coworking suits teams under about 20 seats that need to move in within days. A managed office suits 20 to 100+ seats that want a private floor without paying for a fit-out. Leasing and fitting out your own floor usually costs least per seat for 100+ seats staying 5 years or more, but needs cash upfront and 3 to 6 months to set up.
Coworking vs managed office vs your own lease, side by side
| Fact | Coworking | Managed office | Lease your own floor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | 1 to 20 seats, or a team still growing | 20 to 100+ seats that want their own floor or suite without a fit-out | 100+ seats with a stable 5-year plan |
| Time to move in | Days | Days to a few weeks (a few months if built to your design) | Typically 3 to 6 months for design, approvals and build |
| Upfront cash | Deposit of about 2 to 3 months | Deposit of about 2 to 3 months | Fit-out, furniture and IT, plus a rent deposit (often 6 to 10 months) |
| What the monthly fee covers | Desk or cabin, internet, power, housekeeping, shared meeting rooms | Your private space, fit-out, maintenance and utilities in one per-seat fee | Rent only; maintenance, power, housekeeping and security are paid separately |
| Typical commitment | Monthly to 12 months | Often 12 to 36 months | A longer lease, commonly with a 3-year lock-in |
| Brand and layout control | Little | Some, more with a custom build | Full |
| Price guide, Gurgaon | Published coworking seats from ₹6,000 a month | Quoted per seat a month; ask us for current quotes | Market rent ₹55 to ₹220 per sq ft a month, plus fit-out of about ₹1,800 to ₹4,500 per sq ft |
Coworking prices are operators' own published starting prices, before GST. Market rents are our research team's range for bare-shell offices in Gurgaon, before maintenance and GST.
How to decide
- Count seats for the next 2 years, not today. Growing fast or unsure? Stay flexible.
- Check your horizon. Under 3 years points to coworking or managed; 5 years or more with 100+ seats points to your own lease.
- Compare full cost per seat per year: seat fee × 12 for flex; rent, maintenance and running costs × 12 plus fit-out ÷ years you stay for a lease.
- Get both quotes at once: a 36-month managed office quote and a fit-out estimate for a comparable bare-shell floor.
What suits me: rank areas for your team size · Managed office or your own office: the break-even · The true cost of a coworking seat · Fitting out your own office
Facts from our lease database and building records, last checked 24 Oct 2026. We do not publish which floors are free in a named building; tell us your size and we check.
Questions people ask
Is a managed office cheaper than leasing an office?
For small and mid-size teams on short horizons, usually yes. For 100+ seats over 5+ years, leasing and fitting out your own office is often cheaper.
What is the difference between coworking and a managed office?
Coworking rents desks or cabins in a shared centre with shared meeting rooms. A managed office is a private floor or suite set up and run for one company, paid as one per-seat fee.
How long does it take to move into each?
Coworking takes days. A ready managed office takes days to a few weeks. Leasing and fitting out your own floor typically takes 3 to 6 months.
When should we move from coworking to our own office?
Compare a managed office once you pass about 40 to 50 seats, and your own leased office once you reach about 100 seats with a 5-year plan.