Renting a small office in Finland costs between €230 and €3300/month depending on the size of the space and the city. However, traditional office space rentals include hidden costs that can raise the actual expenses by up to 60%.
This article delves into what renting an office really costs in 2026.
Why does just the rent mislead in choosing an office?
When comparing office rentals, attention is often focused only on the monthly rent. It’s an easy and visible number, but it only tells part of the story about the actual costs. In traditional office rentals, there are almost always additional costs on top of the rent, such as electricity, internet, cleaning, furniture, deposits, and maintenance. When these are included, the total costs of renting an office often rise significantly higher than expected.
Another common misconception relates to the utilization rate of the space. Remote and hybrid work have permanently changed the use of offices, but the traditional rental model does not adapt accordingly. Companies often pay full rent for a space that is empty for a large part of the time. Additionally, the removal of the home office deduction also affects the costs of remote work.
Therefore, it’s worth looking at the office solution as a whole: how much is paid for the space each month, how much capital is tied up initially, and how flexible the solution is if the company’s needs change.
The most common mistake: comparing only rental prices
One of the most typical mistakes is to compare only rental prices. “This office costs €1200/month and this one €1500/month, let’s take the cheaper one.”
Recently, we went through a situation with a startup entrepreneur who was just about to sign a traditional lease agreement. A 50 square meter office for €1000 a month sounded like a good deal. When the actual costs were tallied, the situation looked like this:
- Rent: 1000 €
- Electricity: 180 €
- Internet and phone: 90 €
- Cleaning (2x a week): 320 €
- Coffee and office supplies: 80 €
- Furniture: 8000 € upfront
- Security deposit: 3000 € (3 months)
Total first month:
12 670 €
Monthly expenses thereafter:
1670 €
What 20 years of experience has taught about the costs of WORKSPACES
Over the years, we have encountered thousands of different companies at various stages. Some come directly from home offices, others from traditional offices, some from office hotels. One thing is consistent – the true costs of a traditional office are almost always underestimated.
The still most common model. Renting an empty space, 1–5 year contract, price per square meter 15–25 €/m²/month. Everything else is the tenant’s responsibility.
Offers a furnished space where some services are included. The contract is more flexible, but the price per square meter is higher.
Coworking is a model that includes fully equipped spaces, services included in the price, and flexible contract terms.
👉 Explore Crazy Town’s office spaces
Shared workstations
190–235 €/month per person
The most affordable option for a startup entrepreneur. You have a workspace in a shared area and all basic services. About 30% of customers start here: solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, and those who want to get out of their home office but don’t need their own room. Thousands of square meters of shared spaces are available.
Fixed workspace and shared office
390–420 €/month per person
You can share a room with another entrepreneur or company. Your workspace is in your own room where you can leave your belongings. The same community surrounds you, but it provides a clear “home base”. Suitable for those who visit the office regularly.
Private offices – pricing and differences
In this category, pricing is the least straightforward. For example, the list prices in Jyväskylä look like this:
1 person room: 390 €/month
2 person room: 835 €/month (418 €/person)
3 person room: 1140 €/month (380 €/person)
4 person room: 1470 €/month (368 €/person)
5 person room: 1740 €/month (348 €/person)
6 person room: 2070 €/month (345 €/person)
8 person room: 2670 €/month (334 €/person)
10 person room: 3310 €/month (331 €/person)
However, it is important to note that these are list prices and it is not advisable for each employee to have their own workstation.
Typically, for example, an 8-person team takes a coworking space of 4-6 person office, to which it adds 2-4 additional memberships at a discounted price. The price of the additional membership varies from 170-190 € / person depending on the existing agreement.
Additionally, operators like Crazy Town offer solutions for large teams of over 10 people at a discounted price. The price may also be affected by how often employees need a “permanent” place.
So it is always worth asking for a local quote first and describing how your team works.
Case: coworking model brought a savings of 800 €/month
Trustmary is a software company that switched from a central office-based model to a coworking solution in Jyväskylä. The situation was typical: too much space, too few users.
Remote work had become a permanent practice, employees did not visit the office regularly, but rent was still paid for the entire office with all its overheads.
In the current model, there are three flexible workspaces in use. Payment is only based on actual usage. If the project team grows, space can be added; if it shrinks, space can be reduced. There is no need to pay for unnecessary square meters.
Feedback on the new solution has been clearly positive. The surrounding membership of Crazy Town Jyväskylä, consisting of other growth-oriented companies, also adds color to the everyday life.
What is included in the monthly price of a coworking space?
When a new client comes to explore the facilities, we always go through what is included in the monthly price. For many, the whole package comes as a surprise:
- Electricity
- Fast internet (option for your own business network +35 €/month)
- Cleaning
- Fully furnished spaces – tables, chairs, cabinets
- Coffee, tea
- All meeting rooms available for free use
- Mail handling – each company has its own mailbox
- Community events and networking
The business network is an interesting additional service for many. For an extra fee of 35 €/month, you get your own fixed IP address and traffic is isolated from the rest of the community. IT companies and organizations that handle sensitive data often choose this. You can also print for an additional fee. We use secure printing provided by PaperCut. The cost of printing is determined by black and white versus color. The price is approximately 0.28€-0.40€ per page.
The use of meeting rooms often surprises many as well. “All meeting rooms included” means that you have access to 4-person meeting spaces up to a 10-person conference room, as often as needed – without additional charges. Our larger meeting rooms are equipped with conference cameras and microphones.
Hidden costs that are forgotten in the office budget
- Security Deposit
Often forgotten in budgeting. 3–6 months’ rent tied up as capital. - Incorrectly Sized Office
If your team grows to, for example, 10 people during the year, you will have to rent a “too” large office in advance.
No Flexibility exists. - Renovation and Alterations
A “ready office” is often not ready. Painting walls, fixing lighting, sanding floors.
Additional costs €2000–10,000. - Furniture
Initially, it is thought that used items can be found cheaply. In the end, new items are often purchased. Desks, chairs, storage, kitchen equipment.
Total €5000–15,000. - Office Supplies and Daily Expenses
Toilet paper, hand towels, cleaning supplies, coffee, milk, dishes. Easily €100–200/month more than expected. P.S. We have calculated that just for Jyväskylä’s Crazy Town, coffee is purchased monthly for €500! - Termination Costs
When the business changes (and it will), rent is paid for 3–6 months for an empty space during the notice period. In a coworking space, these costs do not arise at all. We have a maximum of three months’ notice, but if we find a suitable tenant to take over, you won’t pay “unnecessarily”.
How much does an office cost for different sized companies?
Below are a few practical examples of what to actually budget for an office. When the office rental is sized correctly for the company’s size, costs remain manageable.
Sole Entrepreneur Sanna – Graphic Designer €235/month vs. €800–1000/month traditional
Sanna moved to a coworking space a year ago after two years of working from home. The goal was to create a clearer boundary between work and leisure, on a tight budget.
Solution: Shared workspace
Cost: 235 €/month
Comparison: A small private office + expenses would have been 800–1000 €/month
Sanna has described the solution as the best decision in a long time. Networking has brought three new clients. With the same membership, all coworking spaces in different cities are also available, making it easier to schedule client meetings and projects.
3-person startup – SaaS company 1000 €/month vs. 1800–2200 €/month traditional
The team previously worked in cafes and at home. An office was needed, but funds were limited and the future uncertain.
Solution: 3-person office
Price: 1000 €/month
Per person: 333 €/month
Comparison: A 40 m² traditional office would have cost 1800–2200 €/month + startup costs
The company has since grown to a team of 6 and moved to a larger room. Growth has been easy because there was no need to search for a new office or negotiate new contracts. Growth has been supported by finding good subcontractors within the community and peer mentoring among entrepreneurs.
8-person growth company – marketing agency 2670 €/month vs. 2800 €/month + 15,000 € startup costs
The rapidly growing company was concluding a 5-year lease on a 100 square meter office.
The calculation looked like this:
- Traditional office: 2000 € rent + 800 € additional costs = 2800 €/month + 15,000 € startup costs
- Office in coworking space: 2670 €/month (8-person room), all included, 0 € startup costs
Solution: 8-person office
Cost: 2670 €/month (334 €/person)
According to the CEO, money is saved and space can be scaled up or down as needed – double benefit.
Why flexibility is money – practical examples
One key observation is that the operating environment is constantly changing.
There have been companies that:
- Grew from 3 to 12 people in a year (immediate need for additional space)
- Reduced operations from 10 to 5 people (didn’t want to pay for unnecessary square footage)
- Shifted their main focus to another city (the change of location was flexible)
- Temporarily needed a larger space for client events
In a traditional lease, you are stuck with a long contract. In the coworking model, changes can be made with, for example, a month’s notice.
Additionally, event spaces are available at a member discount (–20%). A seminar room or client event for 50 people can be arranged for €90–140/hour instead of seeking a separate space at €300–500/hour.
Storage as an additional service
The need for storage almost always arises at some point: “Where do we store the extra items?”
In a coworking environment, there is often the option to rent a small storage space for promotional materials, archives, or seasonal items. You may not need to search for a separate storage space.
Note: storage is not available in all locations and is a paid service. Ask your local community manager for more information. 😊
Community – the "invisible" value
The value of the community is not reflected in the pricing, but it is real.
In the past year, we have seen, for example:
- An IT company and a marketing agency starting a collaboration
- A lawyer gaining several new clients from other members
- A startup finding its first employee through the community
It’s about social capital (i.e., networks and contacts between people), direct sales, and growth, even if it doesn’t appear as a line item on the invoice.
When is coworking not the most sensible solution?
To be honest, coworking is not for everyone.
- Special equipment is needed (laboratory, production space, special connections). Unless you happen to need space in Espoo. Renting an office and laboratory in Espoo is possible at our EriCa location. EriCa is located at the so-called green line, just a metro stop away from Helsinki.
- The company has 20+ people who want to be in the same closed space. However, even in this case, it can be considered whether it is possible to take multiple rooms, and not all employees are present at the same time.
A completely own, customized branded space is desired (own walls, logos, and visual identity everywhere).Note! We allow small modifications to our spaces by agreement, such as Integrata has done in Jyväskylä. They have installed their own branded decals and alarm systems in their rooms.
- Flexibility is important
- Large initial investments are to be avoided
- A functional workspace is needed without the desire to manage practical maintenance
- Networking and community are valued
- The size of the company can grow or shrink in a short period
When the question is “how much should be budgeted for an office”, realistic ranges look like this:
Solopreneur / freelancer: 230–420 €/month
2–5 person company: 800–1750 €/month
5–10 person company: 1750–3300 €/month
These are all-inclusive prices – everything essential is included. For a traditional office, it is advisable to add 40–60 % in hidden costs as well as several thousand euros in startup costs.
Based on 15 years of experience, the best way to make a decision is to come see it in person.
You can see the spaces concretely, test the workspace, and get to know the community. We can calmly discuss all practical questions.
After reaching out, we will arrange a tour, a walkthrough of the spaces, and a discussion about what solution would be the most sensible.
Contact us and come check out our spaces – we offer coffee! 😊
