Cebu is an island province of the Philippines Central Visayas region. The island has a long history of settlers from different parts of the world, all of whom have left an influence on the culture. Plenty of travelers that go there to live and work will find everything they need in Cebu City.
As it stands, it’s the only place where you’ll find reliable internet and coworking places, which is the reason that it is one of the best places to live in Philippines. The island may not be the #1 place to set up your long-term business plan, but it’s definitely a top pick for those who enjoy working and traveling. Remote workers who enjoy being close to nature will particularly like it. The island’s main city will be your working headquarters, while on the weekends, you can enjoy the amazing nature preserves out of town.
With more and more jobs moving out of corporate offices and into personal space, people no longer need to be permanently situated for work. This opened up pretty much the entire world to digital nomads and gave rise to a new work culture globally. Major tourist destinations, like Cebu, are now catering to this new age of travelers and settlers. As a result, Cebu City is full of amazing coworking spaces. Here’s the list of nine great and two bad coworking spaces:
Check out:
- ASPACE Crossroads
- The Company IT Park
- KMC Flexible Workspace
- Openmind Coworking Space
- Altspace Cafe
- ACX Outsourcing Hub
- Nomads Hub
- Avant Offices Inc
- Workplace Cafe
Avoid:
- Desko
- iioffice
Our Favorite Coworking Space in Cebu Is ASPACE Crossroads
Source: ASPACE Facebook
ASPACE Crossroads is highly praised for its focus on community building. It heavily invests in social gatherings, celebrating popular holidays, themed events, etc. This approach makes it a place where people come and stay for a long while.
It also has a dedicated TEDx host space with some special events. The workspace interior is mostly in elegant black, white, and gray, with splashes of color from different types of artwork. It’s pet-friendly and has cozy, relaxing areas where you can take a break.
A drawback could be that it might seem a bit unprofessional since the rooms have empty concrete walls and an open ceiling, making it look unfinished. That being said, it’s among the most highly praised coworking spaces in Cebu, and the prices are also competitive.
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
|
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours | Monday – Friday: 8 am – 8 pm
Saturday & Sunday: Closed |
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes |
| Standing Desk | Yes |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | Yes |
| Private Offices | Yes |
| Conference room / Event rooms | Yes |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | No |
| Coliving | No |
Here Are the Other Coworking Spaces in Cebu We Liked
The Company Cebu
Source: The Company Facebook
The Company Cebu coworking space is located in the city center in the area known as IT Park. The list of perks and amenities this space offers is great, but what really makes it stand out is its focus on building a community. They offer so many out-of-work activities, such as drink and lunch evenings, workshops, and even TEDx events.
They also connect all the members through a Facebook group and a community app. This makes meeting new people and finding new businesses and other connections easy. Although it doesn’t offer its own coliving space, there are plenty of affordable Airbnb’s nearby.
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
|
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours |
|
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes |
| Standing Desk | Yes |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | Yes |
| Private Offices | Yes |
| Conference room / Event rooms | Yes |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | Yes |
| Coliving | No (Airbnb nearby) |
KMC Flexible Workspace
Source: KMC Solutions
The Flexible Workspace is part of the KMC Skyrise 4 building—an 18 story rentable office space spanning over 13,000 square meters. The state-of-the-art building is equipped with 24/7 IT support staff, backup power generators, and multiple internet connections. Among the coworking spaces in Cebu, this office building is definitely one of, if not the most modern. The prices are surprisingly fair, all things considered. There are also plenty of community events, workshops, and social gatherings to take part in. Other useful facilities in the space include:
- Childcare
- Full kitchen
- Showers
- Lounge
- Yoga studio
- Meditation room
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
|
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours |
|
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes |
| Standing Desk | Yes |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | Yes |
| Private Offices | Yes |
| Conference room / Event rooms | Yes |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | Yes |
| Coliving | No (Airbnb nearby) |
Openmind Coworking Space
Source: Openmind Facebook
Located in the IT Park of Cebu City, what immediately sets Openmind apart is that it’s open 24/7 and has rates to accommodate early birds and night owls. This feature is a favorite among young workers who enjoy flexible working hours. The space is more oriented towards freelancers and small groups. They have a set of fixed prices, but you can ask about additional discounts depending on the time you aim to be there.
Usually, they’ll offer lower prices for evening and night shifts. There are a few private offices that you have to book in advance— bear in mind that they get rented out quickly. The furnishing is modern, and there’s plenty of equipment to use. Openmind also has free parking on the premises. The only downside is that most desks are somewhat clumped up.
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
|
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours | Open 24/7 |
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes |
| Standing Desk | Yes |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | Yes |
| Private Offices | No |
| Conference room / Event rooms | No |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | Yes |
| Coliving | No (Airbnb nearby) |
Altspace Cafe
Source: Instagram @Altspace.ph
Altspace is a minimalistic cafe offering food and drinks and a great place to work or study. Owned and operated by a local couple, the place is small and able to fit 25 people tops. It’s clean and cozy and maintains a family atmosphere. The drink and food choices are good, and there are usually promotional prices on workspace packages.
When you get tired, you can relax in the lounge area and grab a bite to eat or have a hot drink. The only drawback, like with other coworking cafes, is that it’s walk-in only. The cafe is also rentable for larger events.
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
|
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours |
|
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes |
| Standing Desk | Yes |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | Yes |
| Private Offices | No |
| Conference room / Event rooms | Yes |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | No |
| Coliving | No |
ACX Outsourcing Hub
Source: ACX Hub Facebook
ACX Hub is an IT and digital marketing agency based in Cebu. Within their offices, they offer a small coworking space. It is noteworthy because it’s exceptionally affordable and has plenty of rates to choose from. It’s quiet, making it ideal for students to study or work on projects. The furniture is not as great as in some other places, but having in mind the more-than-reasonable price, it’s definitely not bad.
Individual freelancers might like their simple cubicles, while small groups can use the big tables. Unfortunately, it’s not equipped to hold entire teams of people. Still, within this relatively small space, they manage to organize community gatherings, workshops, and events you can attend. The internet speeds are crazy good, easily going over 300 Mbps. While not offering a lot, ACX is definitely worth mentioning.
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
|
| High-Speed Internet | 300+ megabit fiber |
| Open Hours |
|
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes (not everywhere, though) |
| Standing Desk | No |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | Yes |
| Private Offices | No |
| Conference room / Event rooms | Yes |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | Yes |
| Coliving | No |
Nomads Hub
Source: Nomadshub.ph Facebook
Nomads Hub is one of the few coworking and coliving spaces in Cebu. Apart from getting work done, guests can rent hostel beds, use the laundromat, and get food and drinks while they stay. The location is also nice and central, with plenty of things to see and do around the motel. The drawback is that there aren’t dedicated workstations, so it tends to fill up quite fast, and you could end up without space. Members enjoy being part of a tight community that holds events like:
- Social gatherings
- Workshops
- Mentorship programs
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
|
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours | Open 24/7 |
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes |
| Standing Desk | Yes |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | No |
| Private Offices | No |
| Conference room / Event rooms | Yes |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | Yes |
| Coliving | Yes |
Workplace Cafe
Source: Facebook Workplace Cafe
As the name suggests, the Workplace Cafe is aimed towards those that enjoy working under the coziness of a cafe but need the reliability of an office. The atmosphere will be casual, but the furniture looks classy. There are a total of three Workplaces Cafes around Cebu:
- Ramos, Cebu City
- Banawa, Cebu City
- Tipolo, Mandaue City
Feel free to visit any of their branches. The cafes are all good at what they offer to the individual workers but definitely aren’t for group projects. They’re worth checking out, though.
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
|
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours |
|
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes |
| Standing Desk | Yes |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | No |
| Private Offices | No |
| Conference room / Event rooms | No |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | No |
| Coliving | No |
Avant Offices Inc
Source: Avant Offices Facebook
Avant Offices is a gorgeous office setting where less means more. The interior design is simplistic but not monotone. This does leave visitors with a slightly more corporate and serious vibe. Unfortunately, that’s pretty much all Avant Offices offers.
The space doesn’t exactly offer any reason to pick it over the others. It’s more of a “get in, get work done, and leave” type of setting. This reminds people too much of regular jobs, which freelancers and remote workers tend to run away from. The private offices are great, though. Because of this, we recommend this place much more to groups than to individuals. Smaller businesses and startups might find a home in this space.
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
|
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours |
|
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes (not everywhere) |
| Standing Desk | No |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | Yes |
| Private Offices | Yes |
| Conference room / Event rooms | No |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | No |
| Coliving | No |
These Are the Two Coworking Spaces We Would Not Recommend
Desko Cebu
Source: Facebook Desko
Desko is a 24/7 coworking space with an onsite restaurant and cafe and plenty of free drinks. And that’s all the positives summed up. The space offers no private office or dedicated desks, meaning you have to find your own space. That won’t be an issue, though, as it’s been quite empty recently. Users have reported issues such as:
- Water shortage
- Internet losing connection or slowing down
- Unavailable or uninterested staff
To make things worse, the prices are quite high for what it offers. There are just too many better options, even nearby.
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
|
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours | Open 24/7 |
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes |
| Standing Desk | No |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | No |
| Private Offices | No |
| Conference room / Event rooms | No |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | No |
| Coliving | No |
iioffice Cebu
Source: iioffice Facebook
At first glance, there’s nothing wrong with iioffice. The interior is nice, and it seems well-equipped. So, what’s the issue? Every desk, office space, and conference room is on a first-come, first-served basis. You can’t rent your spot in advance, and be sure you’ll have it. This makes it practically impossible for groups of people to coordinate, much less work in private.
You may even end up without a place to sit if you come in too late. There are some ergonomic chairs, but not enough of them. Some are reported to be overused and in dire need of replacement. This leaves some people sitting on plastic chairs or armchairs.
The positive note about iioffice is that it is noticeably cheaper. Other than that, the company doesn’t offer us a good enough reason to choose it over other spaces.
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
|
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours |
|
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes (not everywhere) |
| Standing Desk | Yes |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | No |
| Private Offices | No |
| Conference room / Event rooms | No |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | No |
| Coliving | No |