The best co-working spaces in Singapore

Next time you are seeking a spot to work on a project beyond the confines of your usual surroundings, consider the vast array of remote working options Singapore has to offer. Across the island state, there are plenty of interesting and characterful co-working spaces that can meet your needs, big and small.

Global co-working brands have been present for decades, many offering a wide range of membership options, mostly for a fixed term. This is currently evolving however, as some look to offer convenient pay-as-you go options.

Beyond these locations, there is also an array of cafes that cater for co-working, with good desk space, natural light and free wifi. For a truly local experience, try a local coffee shop, serving traditional brews including kopi, a highly caffeinated and sweet coffee served black or white, together with cheap and tasty local delicacies. Or try one of the flavoursome local dishes that fuse ingredients and traditions from Singapore’s rich tapestry of Asian cultures.

This is a tropical city-state and more relaxed than its squeaky-clean reputation might suggest. As a rule, as long as you buy something from local outlets, the staff will happily let you work away on your laptop or conduct an in-person meeting for as long as you want within operating hours. Be aware however that some places will be less enthusiastic with single remote workers occupying much-needed tables and chairs during peak times, so be especially mindful during lunch (12pm to 1.30pm) and dinner (5pm to 7pm).

A further consideration is attire. Singapore is usually around 32 degrees centigrade with 90 percent humidity year round. Many outlets, including a handful of co-working locations, offer outdoor seating, so if you plan to enjoy the warm temperatures, dress suitably light. Lastly, Singapore does not, as of yet, offer a digital nomad visa, and most visitors enter on a tourist or business visa. Check what entry options are available to your nationality prior to jetting off to Singapore.

Here are the best co-working spots in Singapore.

CBD

JustCo, The Centrepoint

Best for: Its location on Orchard Road
Location: 176 Orchard Road, #05-05, Singapore 238843
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30am-6pm
Price: 6 SGD per hour, 265 SGD per month

Singapore’s homegrown co-working brand to rival international competitors, JustCo takes work-life balance to a new level, drawing inspiration from Google and Facebook by transforming mundane office spaces into adult playground-offices. Spread over 21 locations in The Lion City, JustCo’s flagship outlet on Orchard Road offers co-workers a chance to indulge in a wide variety of games like ping pong, air hockey and arcade basketball. Co-working spaces include hotdesking, private offices, enterprise offices, phone booths, a variety of meeting rooms and event areas, and a napping room. Located in The Centrepoint mall, JustCo is within walking distance of the many shops, restaurants and bars lining Orchard Road, both above ground and in air-conditioned underground malls.

The Great Room, One George Street

Best for: Large open spaces, free Monday morning breakfasts
Location: 1 George Street, Level 10, Singapore 049145
Hours: 24/7 office access
Price: 70 SGD per day, 750 SGD per month

Inspired by The Great Gatsby, the decor of this space is closer to a high-end club than your typical co-working space. While discretion and decorum are unspoken house rules, that’s not to say that people don’t network, as they visibly do. Likewise, don’t assume it’s only high-brow businesses that use this facility. The Great Room is as much a home to tech start-ups and creatives as it is for professional services firms and consultants. Note the complimentary breakfast on Mondays and, if you’re working late, warm cookies and hot chocolate are on the house after office hours, Monday to Friday.

Core Collective, Anson

Best for: Fitness fanatics wanting to mix a workout with work
Location: 79 Anson Road Singapore 079906 Level 22
Hours: Mon-Fri, 6am-9pm; Sat, 7am-4pm; holidays, 7am-2pm
Price: Membership fees tailored to each applicant. Personal training sessions start at 130 SGD

Core Collective Anson is first and foremost a spacious, well equipped gym. However, it also incorporates co-working spaces, with meeting booths, desks, tables and chairs interspersed throughout. It’s a place you can not only seamlessly switch from office work to a workout, but also enjoy yoga, rehabilitation and a fitness consultation during your break. A full-size boxing ring is the focal point, which is a huge hit with Core Collective members. Expect to see business executives burning off hours of work frustration during lunchtime and after office hours via a variety of workouts.

The Hive Carpenter

Best for: A competitively priced central location
Location: 36 Carpenter St, Singapore 059915
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm
Price: From 250 SGD per month

When international co-working brand The Hive was founded in 2012, its aim was to create “beautiful workspaces that are like a second home”. The brand’s Carpenter location has a relaxing homely vibe that instils calm and comfort to those using the facility. All six floors of this new building are occupied by The Hive, where big bright spaces contrast with smaller settings. There is also the rooftop Hive Café & Lounge with stunning views of Marina Bay and the CBD. A few minutes’ walk from Clarke Quay MRT station, The Hive is within walking distance of the many restaurants and bars lining Clarke Quay and Boat Quay.

Katong

Choice Cuts Goods & Coffee

Best for: An extensive record collection
Location: 446 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427659
Hours: Tues-Thurs, 10am-8pm; Fri-Sat, 10am-10pm; Sun, 10am-7pm
Prices: From 5 SGD per hour. Drinks from 4.50 SGD. Food from 5 SGD

Choice Cuts is the spot where New York-style pizza, hot dogs, fresh bagels and coffee meet soul, hip-hop, R&B and more. The second floor is a vinyl library-workspace. Rented by the hour, you can use one of several desks while listening to one of the hundreds of LPs in the cafe’s record library. Established by a local DJ, the co-working cafe is on the historic lower Joo Chiat Road, a 10-15 minute bus ride from the nearest MRT. From June 2024, the new Marine Parade MRT station will make Choice Cuts Goods & Coffee a five-minute walk from the train. Read on here for more info on Singapore’s music scene.

Kallang

WeWork, 380 Jalan Besar

Best for: Its roof terrace, swimming pool and house beer
Location: 380 Jalan Besar Singapore, 209000
Hours: Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm
Price: From 490 SGD per month

Located in the district of Kallang, where historic buildings sit side by side with modern architecture, the facilities here are unmatched: an outdoor swimming pool for members, as well as a roof terrace offering breathtaking views of the Singapore skyline. The office is also home to WeWork Labs, the company’s in-house start-up programme that affords founders direct access to incubator resources. As with all WeWork locations, there’s a broad mix of co-working desks, private offices, meeting rooms, event spaces and a gym. The well-stocked kitchen notably serves beer on tap, featuring a selection of local brews as well as WeWork’s own Hustle Lager.

Changi Village

The Coastal Settlement

Best for: A serene setting close to Changi Airport and Changi Expo
Location: 200 Netheravon Rd, Singapore 508529
Hours: Mon-Fri, 10:30am-11pm; Sat, 8:30am-11pm; Sun, 8:30am-10:30pm
Prices: Drinks from 6 SGD. Food from 10 SGD

For professionals staying in the Changi Airport area – whether in transit before jetting off to elsewhere or attending a conference at nearby Singapore Expo – the Coastal Settlement is the perfect alternative to the hectic bustle of downtown Singapore. Located in a quiet corner of the island, a few hundred metres from the gentle waters of the East Johor Strait, the location offers an idyllic, leafy backdrop few places in Singapore can match. Set in a historic warehouse once used by the Royal Air Force, its bohemian decor lends ambience and a sense of timelessness. Props include retro pieces from the 1950s and 60s, including fans, typewriters, and mod scooters. Choose between outdoor and indoor seating, and a mix of international and Asian drinks and dishes.

Robertson Quay

The Book Cafe

Best for: Its vibrant atmosphere and central location
Location: 20 Martin Rd, #01-02 Seng Kee Building, Singapore 239070
Hours: Wed-Sat, 8:30am-10pm; Sun-Tues, 8:30am-5:30pm
Prices: Drinks from 5 SGD. Food from 11 SGD

Book lovers will feel an instant connection with this place. The look and feel is unique: on one hand it has the aura of a modern library; on the other, it’s like a high-end lounge where intellectuals mingle and do business. Although its vast collection of books are the star attraction, you won’t see too many people reading them: the cafe is renowned for providing a space for remote workers and digital nomads to tap away on their laptops or engage in deep conversation in person and online, while enjoying the fine food and drinks on offer.

China Town

Maxi Coffee Bar

Best for: Its energy, menu and chirpy staff
Location: 6 Ann Siang Hill, Singapore 069787
Hours: Tues-Fri, 8am-5pm; Sat-Sun, 9am-5pm
Prices: Drinks from 4 SGD. Food from 4.80 SGD

This quirky, high-energy cafe in a traditional shophouse is a true jewel in Singapore’s crown. The space is deliberately small, with chairs and tables cramped within compact indoor and outdoor areas: the cafe’s owners hope you’ll bump elbows and trade stories with other patrons. Its colourful blue and white decor complements the chirpy staff for whom no request is seemingly too much to meet. The cafe’s “Adventurous” espresso, made from coffee beans with an interesting story behind them, is a drawcard for coffee connoisseurs. Equally as intriguing is the cafe’s Toast Bar, featuring a range of traditional and novel sandwich fillings. The bistro-style tables and chairs, as well as the high tables and stools, are perfect for remote workers to complete their next assignment or hold a quick team meeting, whether in-person or virtually.

Sarnies

Best for: plus size sandwiches
Location: 136 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore S068601
Hours: Mon-Fri, 7:30am-10:30pm; Sat, Sun and holidays, 8:30am-4pm
Prices: Drinks from 5 SGD. Food from 4 SGD

Chill out at one of Singapore’s best-known Aussie cafes. The joint’s laid-back atmosphere suits remote workers happy to tap along at their leisurely pace, or casually network with fellow patrons. Its simple interior is conducive to both socialising and brainstorming. The generously sized food portions are the main pull, supported by an exhaustive list of brews. Mornings can get especially busy though, with local workers typing or chatting away while munching on a plus-sized sandwich.

Dhoby Ghaut

Twenty Eight Cafe

Best for: Remote working with coffee served with a smile
Location: 28 Wilkie Rd, #01-06, Singapore 228051
Hours: Mon-Fri, 7:30am-4:30pm; Sat, Sun and holidays, 8am-4:30pm
Prices: Drinks from 5 SGD. Food from 12 SGD

Big and bright with plenty of seating, you could be forgiven for thinking this place is a co-working space first, and cafe second, but the opposite is true. Twenty Eight Cafe is classy and clean: think Miami Beach art deco meets New York minimalism. Run by cheerful staff who clearly love their jobs, there’s a good mix of small tables for individual workers and large ones for groups. During the week, almost all patrons are privately working away or holding meetings of some sort.

Tanjong Pagar

Great Nanyang Heritage Cafe

Best for: Traditional Chinese decor and menu
Location: 5 Craig Rd, Singapore 089665
Hours: 7:30pm-3pm & 5pm-8:30pm
Prices: Drinks from 2.30 SGD. Mains around 10 SGD

As the outlet’s name suggests, the cafe is a nostalgic throwback to the traditional ‘kopitiams’ (coffee shops) of Malaysia and Singapore that first appeared a century or so ago — where migrants from all over Asia met, ate, drank and socialised. Remote workers can take inspiration from the traditional Chinese interiors of polished dark wood chairs, light grey marble tables, Chinese paintings, and paper lanterns. Notably, some walls pay homage to 1960s Singapore pop culture. Great Nanyang Heritage Cafe is popular with both tourists and locals. The place can get very busy, especially during lunchtime, so turn up early and be prepared to huddle next to strangers during peak hours. The cafe serves local and western beverages and offers a wide variety of delicious Singapore food favourites.

Champion Bolo Bun

Best for: Bolo buns
Location: 92 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088513
Hours: 11am-7pm in week; 8:30am to 7pm at weekends. Closed on Wed
Prices: Bolo buns from 5.45 SGD, drinks from 6 SGD

This place claims to be the world’s first bolo bun concept store. And though there are many restaurants and cafes in Singapore that sell this type of bun, an extensive Google search confirms the claim. Traditionally a Hong Kong sweet bun that looks like a pineapple with its yellow baked topping (菠蘿包 in Chinese, phonetically pronounced “boh loh baau”, meaning “pineapple bun”), today’s range includes both sweet and savoury fillings. Those on offer at Champion Bolo Bun are an absolute delight, including the classic; the curry potato with minced chicken; and the breakfast bolo bun with spam, cheese and Japanese cucumber. The coffees and teas aren’t bad either. The clean and spacious seating areas on the second and third floors are popular with remote workers. Again, expect to huddle next to strangers during lunchtime, as the place gets very busy, particularly on weekdays.

Cloud Coffee

Best for: Its cloud-themed interior
Location: 1a Duxton Hill, #01-01, Singapore 089587
Hours: Tues-Sun, 10am-6pm
Prices: Drinks from 3 SGD

Modern and clean in an industrial design, Cloud Coffee is another popular coffee shop in the Tanjong Pagar neighbourhood. Most intriguing are the model clouds dangling from the ceiling in the sitting area and above the bar. The only downsides here are the limited number of seats and tables available, and the lack of free wifi. Nonetheless, Cloud Cafe is ideal for reading a book, digesting a work dossier or holding a work meeting — as well as those wanting to take a break from answering emails from clients and colleagues.

Tiong Bahru

Plain Vanilla, Tiong Bahru

Best for: fresh, home-made cakes, pastries and beverages
Location: 1D Yong Siak Street, Singapore 168641
Hours: 7:30am-7pm
Prices: Drinks from 4 SGD. Food from 4.50 SGD

Plain Vanilla is a modern Singaporean cafe chain that blends local flavour with an international twist. The brand’s flagship is in the historic Tiong Bahru estate, best known for its art deco architecture and indie spirit. The menus vary slightly from cafe to cafe, but generally feature a wide range of scrumptious pastries and cakes, as well as appetising lunch and dinner menus. All drinks are house-made and taste ultra-fresh. Some stage live music performances from time to time, as part of Plain Vanilla’s “After-hours at PV” series.