Coliving.com Review — The Digital Nomad’s Guide to Flexible, Global Living

What Is Coliving.com and How Does It Work?

Coliving.com is an online space that was conceived in 2014, during the burgeoning era of the digital nomad boom. With a mission to provide homes for all these people choosing to displace themselves and foster community as they work and travel. 

Connecting people through shared living spaces dramatically changes the landscape for those of us living the nomadic lifestyle. In this day and age, where our attention span is trained to last about eight seconds, staying somewhere more than a few days is rare. This is why we’re currently experiencing a loneliness epidemic and the rapid demise of social skills. 

Liking a post or sliding into the DMs doesn’t work in real life… wait, yeah, it does! But it’s scary, to walk up to someone and compliment their shoes or say they have a nice vibe – wanna grab a drink?

Coliving gives you a soft landing for social interactions that build community by literally getting you in the room with fellow digital nomads. Unlike other platforms like Airbnb or hostelworld, Coliving sets you up with more than just a room.

While the marketplace may be similar on each of these websites (or apps), Coliving provides all the amenities you’re likely to want. More often than not, there isn’t an extra charge for these; it’s a pretty inclusive option. 

Another major difference is the minimum stay. Coliving spaces are designed to encourage community, and for this reason, often have a minimum stay of at least one month. This is ideal if you’re into really getting to know an area and want to spend time roaming the streets, meeting locals, etc. Less epic if you’re using up your two weeks of annual leave to ‘do Europe’. 

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Something Airbnb and Coliving have in common is providing an experience that feels like home. While you may get that at homestays and the occasional hostel if you book through other providers, it’s not a given, or an integrated part of the ethos. 

Another cool feature of Coliving is the way you can find a shared space to suit your needs or desires. Whether you’re looking for somewhere to park up and open your laptop between surf sessions with fellow shredders… Or maybe you’re deep in the start-up buzz and struggling to find community – Coliving has you covered. 

Who Is Coliving.com Best For?

Coliving is best suited to people searching for community while living the nomadic lifestyle. It’s for people who want to invest in other people and connections, the veritable loverboy (or girl) of the backpacking community. People who are after more than a night or two with a new connection who aren’t ready to set up shop somewhere yet. 

It is an epic platform for couples travelling and working remotely, with amenities available (depending on the space) for a regular gym routine. Coliving.com has spaces available that are ideal for a team retreat, whether you and your homie are starting a new venture or the startup team needs a retreat.

If you’re a musician trotting around the globe to share your sound, there’s space for you, too. Coliving has locations in over 400 cities, so the likelihood of you finding a home wherever you want to go is high. There are so many creatives in the Coliving.com community, I have no doubt you’ll find your tribe. 

The shared, community vibe of coliving spaces is best suited for people who are keen to settle for longer than a couple of nights. If you’re on that whistle-stop, low-budget backpacking tour, you’re probably after the hostel life, and power to you! Coliving is designed as a solution for those wanting to stay in one place for longer than a month and settle into a place.

Most Coliving spaces have a number of private rooms, varying from singles to doubles to studios. Some of these are suited to small groups travelling together and sleep up to three. It’s definitely less private than an Airbnb; that’s the price you pay for community.

Closer Look at CoLiving

Flexibility of Stays

Being able to rent a room on a month-to-month basis is epic. When you know you want to be somewhere but are too much of a traveller to commit – can anyone else relate? Obviously, yes – more than 105,000 people are actively engaged in the Coliving community – the flexibility of this lifestyle has serious appeal worldwide. 

There aren’t long-term contracts locking you into a lease, but you have the security of your space for as long as you like. You commit to your space by paying upfront, plus a security deposit. These vary from stay to stay, so communicate directly with your host through the Coliving portal to sort out the specifics.

Working directly with the host means that you can tailor your move-in and move-out times, cleaning days, etc, to suit your stay. Coliving.com has search filters where you can search by stay (minimum one month). Whether you want to stay for anywhere between one to 12 months, or between set dates, there is a plethora of options.

Relocation is easy too – you simply pack your shit up and you can jump between cities and across the 70+ countries that Coliving functions in. Some stays may require you to clean your space; each host runs it slightly differently. Coliving.com has an epic ‘help’ section on their website and great support if you run into any drama.

All-Inclusive Pricing

As I’ve said, Coliving seeks to ensure living is as easy as possible, and they do this by striving to provide everything you need. Whether it’s a gym to stay in shape and routine while you’re travelling, or a coworking space to get down to business… Chances are, it’s included. 

Utilities and Wi-Fi are usually included in your rent, and when you compare renting a coliving space to renting a studio, the savings are substantial. Plus, the inclusions are unparalleled, from laundry services to cleaning, from streaming services to kitchen essentials. These accommodations go above and beyond encouraging community and networking with all the home comforts, to boot. 

Joining Coliving.com is free for ‘residents’, while the hosts pay to advertise their home on the platform. One thing I love about using this website is how explicit all of the costs are. From expected security deposits to monthly rent and what’s included in that, to cancellation terms, it’s all super transparent.

Community & Networking

One of the greatest things about community is skill sharing, without a doubt. Being in an environment that fosters networking and community, the potential knowledge to tap into while staying in Coliving spaces is unbounded. 

Whether it’s over a beer at one of the epic social events hosts are known to facilitate or chatting over breakfast in shared kitchen spaces… You’ll have plenty of opportunities to make connections with the homies you’re staying with. And, because everyone’s sticking around longer than short-term, you can really get to know each other, share skills and build a strong community.

Coliving Vs The World

Airbnb

There are definitely some similarities between Airbnb and Coliving, you can rent a room in a shared house on both platforms… You can rent a room on a monthly basis on both platforms, but there are differences, too.

While the variety on Airbnb is far greater than on Coliving.com, in terms of the cities serviced (Airbnb has over 750 cities in the US alone)… The variety can be overwhelming, and the core need the platforms are trying to reach is completely different. You could more than likely get in touch with your host on Airbnb and work out a rental agreement for X amount of months… But it’s just not set up for it, the hosts aren’t used to that type of arrangement, and I’d imagine hidden fees could incur.

On top of all that, you’d be missing out on the viiiiibe of Coliving. There may be shared houses on Airbnb, but you can’t filter them by community, so you could be sharing a house with anyone. The upshot of this is, of course, privacy – it could work out that no one else is renting a room in the space. This could be true for both platforms, but what is unique to Airbnb is the opportunity to rent an entire space to yourself.

Hostels

Hostels are another great short-term option that aren’t specifically designed for long-term stays. Obviously, you can stay at a hostel for as long as you like, other bookings permitting, but in my experience, you often have to jump around rooms or even beds.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve stayed at the farm hostel (could plug tribal instead?) for six weeks straight, and felt right at home. But I wasn’t working or trying to do anything other than live the hostel life, not trying to work or have any sort of routine. (Apart from the weekly schedule of what pubs we were hitting each night).

It’s easy to make hard and fast friends in hostels, sure, but the way Coliving has designed their shared spaces, building community is enabled. By filtering your search via community, you can make sure you’re going into a space with a vibe that will match yours.

Nomad Stays & Outside

“Outside” is another platform offering a similar experience to Coliving.com. The major difference here is that there’s no monthly minimum stay, which I imagine would lead to a more transient crowd. Outside coliving also operates on a much smaller scale, servicing fewer locations and offering less options in each location.

Outside coliving has a membership option where you can interact with the online community and have access to special members-only accommodation.

Another option is Nomad Stays. These guys established themselves around the same time as Coliving.com. For similar reasons, but rather than Daniel from America, Nomad Stays was founded by a globe-trotting couple from Australia.

These places are perfect if you’re a hostel expert and love the life, but may be less than ideal if you’re slightly more work-focused. The main difference is the type of community that’s built around these spaces. Coliving is focused on skill sharing and people who are looking for more of a work-life balance, vs hostels that typically curate a party-life balance.

 Pricing — What to Expect

The beautiful thing about coliving is that what you pay for is what you get. All of the epic amenities and extras I’ve mentioned are included in your accommodation, where possible. There are always exceptions to the rule, and not every accommodation offers the same thing, but most do. 

When you fill in the “Move-in” and “Move-out” fields on a listing page, all of the fees for this specific stay will be outlined. Including the cancellation policy, but more on that next. Coliving is chronic for being explicit about their fees and expectations for utilities, cleaning and everything else, which is bloody refreshing. 

Prices you can expect to pay for a month’s stay are (in USD):

Factors that can influence these costs are obvious things like the location and amenities, such as whether your space has a pool or a gym. Other influential factors can be the privacy of the property – whether you have a studio-type set-up or a simple room. 

Insurance, Cancellations & Refunds

Like most accommodation marketplaces these days, the host controls the cancellation policy and is usually dealt with on a person-by-person basis. Once you’ve booked somewhere on Coliving.com, you will be sent an email through which you can access your booking details. Through here, you’ll see a “cancel stay” button where you’ll be asked to fill out a simple form. 

Make sure you read the fine print carefully, as each host has a different policy; you don’t want to be caught out here with sneaky fees. The Coliving customer service team is always available to help you with any questions you may have. Get in touch with them via email for human support or chat with their friendly bot integrated on the site, which I’ve found super helpful. 

The Coliving.com platform guarantees a full refund for any dramatic discrepancy between a listing and the actual property, which is great for peace of mind. You do need to report this on the day of move-in, though, so make sure you do your due diligence on checking out your new home. The cancellation procedure is super clear in the help section on Coliving.com, and they want you to be comfortable.

Get in touch with the site and the hosts ASAP if any vibes are weird, whether it’s with the neighbourhood, the house or your housemates. Coliving.com will sort you out even if the hosts aren’t helpful.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Coliving spaces foster a coworking environment, which can be hard to find when travelling
• Shared living spaces make it easy to make friends
• The coliving community is widespread across the globe, with over 105,000 members
• The convenience of a fully furnished and serviced home is invaluable
• The flexibility of homes in over 70 countries and more than 400 destinations

Cons:

• Shared housing has a certain lack of privacy
• There is always the potential for personality clashes with your roommates
• The price of a serviced apartment could be higher than that of a self-rented studio (but you’d have to clean your own home)

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Coliving.com

If you’re going to be spending a lot of time working, get in touch with the host to get a real-time assessment of the strength of the wifi. You can also choose from a hefty amount of filters, including strong wifi, meeting rooms, dedicated workspaces, gym/fitness centres, and the options are plentiful.

Coliving is designed for community, so make sure you participate in organised events. Sure, they’ll feel awkward at first, but you’ll get used to it, and it’s an easy way to get to know people. Your host or your home might facilitate shared dinners or nights out at the local watering hole.

Use the shared spaces – this is what you’re co-living for, isn’t it? To inhabit space with like-minded people and hopefully get to do some skill sharing or at least be in the productive zone together. With the community filter that has things like climbers, influencers, designers, nature lovers, etc, you’re sure to be able to find your people.

Yes, the apartments are serviced, but be a good egg and clean up after yourself, keep communal areas clear from your clutter. You know, just basic etiquette that can go a long way when you’re living in a shared space.

FAQs About Coliving.com

Here are a few questions that often come up when I’m talking about Coliving

Final Verdict — Is It Worth It for Digital Nomads?

I say yes! I think Coliving.com provides an accessible solution to digital nomad accommodation. With such a vast range of homes across the world, there really isn’t much reason not to use them.

With no sign-up fees, super easy cancellation if you don’t get what you signed up for and beautiful homes that foster community… What’s to lose? Coliving, coworking, that’s how we should all be living if you ask me. It’s corny but classic, “it takes a village,” and whether that be to raise a baby or a start-up, you need people around you in your corner.

Coliving common areas provide the perfect environment for socialising and getting to know your homies (or housemates). Legends attract legends, so be a good cunt (probably don’t need to say good cunt, but I’m clutching at straws here) and trust that you’ll attract good people.

Have you tried Coliving? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Have I missed something you think is imperative? Let me know in the comments below.