Had to rethink my whole take on coworking memberships after a month in Lisbon

I used to think coworking spaces were overpriced nonsense (like $200 a month just for a desk and bad coffee?) so I'd always work from cafes. Then I spent 6 weeks bouncing around Lisbon last spring and realized I was spending $8 a day on pastries and espresso just to sit for 4 hours. Plus the wifi at that one cafe near Time Out Market kept dropping at 2pm every day. A friend finally dragged me to Second Home in Penha de Franca and honestly the quiet room changed my focus completely. I got more done in 3 days there than a whole week of cafe hopping. The monthly pass was $190 which felt steep until I added up my cafe spending and realized I was paying more for less. Now I'm wondering if the community events there are actually worth attending or just awkward networking. Has anyone else found a coworking spot that genuinely helped their productivity or is it all just hype?

2 comments

2 Comments

smith.ray1mo ago

Second Home totally saved my trip too. Had almost the same experience at that Time Out Market cafe, the wifi there is brutal after lunch. Ended up at a place called Cowork Central in Alcantara for $175 a month and the difference was night and day. The quiet room was a game changer for me, I could finally hear myself think without the clatter of dishes. Tried a couple of community events there but mostly just met people trying to sell me stuff, not really worth the time unless you're actively looking for clients. The real win was just having a reliable desk with power outlets that actually worked.

oscarb711mo ago

Wow, that's way cheaper than what I've seen for coworking in most places!