Coworking
When you compare a dedicated desk with a rented office, it is tempting to set two numbers side by side: the membership and the rent. But rent is only the first line of a long list. Below I have gathered every cost of an office of your own, so you can compare fairly.
Rent is just the beginning
In central Bucharest, asking rents for offices reached €18 per square metre per month in June 2026, and up to €24 in the central business district, according to Colliers. For a small 20 m² office, that is €360 a month for rent alone, almost RON 1,930 at the BNR rate of 6 October 2026 (RON 5.3527 per euro). Everything below comes on top.
What you pay once, at the start
- the deposit, usually one or more months’ rent;
- the agency fee, if you use an agency;
- furniture: desks, ergonomic chairs, cabinets, shelves, a meeting table;
- appliances: fridge, espresso machine, kettle, microwave, perhaps an air purifier;
- equipment: router, printer and scanner, extension leads, cables;
- fit-out: painting, lighting, blinds or curtains;
- decoration and plants, which make the difference between an office and a place you enjoy working in;
- moving and installing the internet.
What you pay every month
- rent and, often, the building’s service or administration charge;
- electricity, gas or heating, water;
- a waste collection contract;
- internet and, if you need it, a phone line;
- insurance for the space and contents, an alarm or security.
Supplies you only notice when they run out
Coffee, tea, sugar, milk, water or water filters, napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, soap, washing-up liquid, sponges, bin bags, cleaning products, paper and toner, light bulbs. Each is a small cost. Together, plus the time spent buying them, they add up every month.
Daily cleaning
An office you work in every day needs cleaning every day: desks, kitchen, bathroom, bins. You either pay a company or a person, or do it yourself, out of your working time. Either way, it is a cost that comes back month after month.
A worked example
To make it concrete, I calculated the monthly costs of a 20 m² office for one or two people, using public 2026 prices. They are monthly averages over a year, VAT included. Your bills may differ depending on the building, suppliers and usage.
| Monthly cost | From | To | How we calculated it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 20 m² | RON 1,930 | RON 2,570 | €18–24/m², at the BNR rate |
| Electricity | RON 170 | RON 480 | 130–280 kWh at RON 1.30–1.70/kWh |
| Heating, gas boiler | RON 55 | RON 225 | yearly average; winter bills are 2–3 times higher |
| Water and sewerage | RON 7 | RON 19 | 0.6–1.5 m³ at RON 12.19/m³ |
| Waste | RON 20 | RON 80 | tariff set by contract; benchmark: RON 129.23/m³ + VAT in Sector 3 |
| Fibre-optic internet | RON 40 | RON 260 | business plans, €6.4–40/month + VAT |
| Daily cleaning, one hour a day | RON 945 | RON 1,260 | 21 days at RON 45–60/hour |
| Cleaning products | RON 30 | RON 80 | our estimate |
| Total | ≈ RON 3,200 | ≈ RON 4,970 | excluding deposit, furniture, coffee and building administration |
For comparison, a Hublou dedicated desk costs RON 1,499 a month with all of this included. Even for two people, two desks (RON 2,998) cost less than the low end of the example.
Maintenance and the unexpected
An air-conditioning service, a dripping tap, a broken appliance, repainting at the end of the lease. They don’t come every month, but they come.
Your time and flexibility
An office of your own means contracts, invoices and suppliers to manage. Leases are often signed for at least a year. If your team grows or shrinks, the space stays the same until the lease ends.
What a Hublou dedicated desk includes
A dedicated desk costs RON 1,499 per month, VAT 0%, with a minimum term of 30 days. If you sign up by 31 October 2026, you get 10% off for the whole term of the contract: RON 1,349 per month. We don’t ask for a deposit: on signing you pay the current month in advance. The price covers your reserved desk with a locker, in a space with 12 desks, near Aviatorilor metro.
| Cost | Rented office | Hublou dedicated desk |
|---|---|---|
| Rent and service charge | paid separately | included |
| Deposit | usually | none |
| Furniture and appliances | you buy them | included, with two equipped kitchenettes |
| Electricity, gas, water, waste | separate bills | included |
| Internet | separate plan | high-speed fibre-optic internet, included |
| Daily cleaning | you pay for it or do it | included |
| Coffee, tea, water | you buy them | illy coffee, premium teas, filtered water, included |
| Printer and scanner | you buy them | included |
| Purified air | if you invest | HEPA air purifiers |
| Phone booth and terraces | rarely | included |
| Meeting room | rarely | 6 seats, RON 99/hour, by reservation |
| Registered office hosting | depends on the landlord | included |
| Contract term | often at least a year | minimum 30 days |
When an office of your own still makes sense
If you have a large, stable team, special equipment or need a space that is yours alone, a rented office may be the right choice. For teams of up to 12, Hublou also has a middle option: the 72 m² private office, exclusively for your team, with 24/7 access.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay a deposit for a dedicated desk?
No. On signing you pay the current month in advance.
Can I use the Hublou address as my registered office?
Yes, registered office hosting is included with the dedicated desk.
What are the opening hours?
Dedicated desks are accessible Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 21:00. Private offices have 24/7 access.
Sources: Colliers, chirii birouri (Ziarul Financiar, 13.08.2026) · Cursul BNR, 6.10.2026 · Electrica Furnizare, ofertă non-casnici 2026 · Premier Energy, ofertă non-casnici 2026 · OMV Petrom, ofertă gaze non-casnici, octombrie 2026 · Consum de încălzire, bloc din București (Primăria Sector 6) · Apa Nova București, tarife 2026 · Tarife salubrizare Sectorul 3 (Buletin de București) · Orange, internet pentru firme · Orange Net Pro · Tarife curățenie birouri București 2026 (Expertica)