You’re considering a coliving but your brain keeps asking: “But can I actually get work done there?” Fair question. You’ve got deadlines, client calls, and a boss who doesn’t care that you’re watching the sunset from a rooftop in Lisbon.
After three years of running a coliving and watching hundreds of remote workers figure out their routines, here’s what working from a coliving actually looks like.
WiFi: the non-negotiable
Good colivings: 100–300 Mbps fiber, dedicated router for the workspace, backup connection (4G/5G router or second ISP). This is the standard at any serious coliving in Europe or established nomad hubs.
Acceptable: 50–100 Mbps shared across the house. Fine for most work, but Zoom calls might stutter if everyone’s on a video meeting at 2pm.
Red flag: Anything under 50 Mbps, or “WiFi available” without specific speeds listed. If a coliving won’t tell you their internet speed upfront, they’re hiding something.
Pro tip: Always ask for a speed test screenshot before booking. Good operators post this on their website or send it without hesitation. Also check if they have ethernet ports at desks — hardwired connections are more reliable for important calls.
Workspace setups
Coliving workspaces generally fall into three categories:
The dedicated coworking room
The gold standard. A separate room (or floor) with desks, monitors, ergonomic chairs, and a quiet-work policy. Usually has 1-2 phone booths or call nooks for video meetings. This is what you’ll find at most established colivings.
The shared table
A large dining/working table in a common area. Works fine for focused work during the day, but it doubles as the dinner table at night. You’ll need to be comfortable with background noise and occasional interruptions. Noise-canceling headphones are mandatory.
The “work wherever” setup
No dedicated workspace — just good WiFi and a “figure it out” vibe. Some people love this (work from the garden, the balcony, the local cafe). Others find it stressful. Know yourself.
Video calls with 15 housemates
This is the thing nobody warns you about. You’re on a call with your manager, and someone walks through the background in a towel. Or starts making a smoothie. Or has a loud phone conversation in Portuguese.
How colivings solve this:
- Call nooks/phone booths — Small enclosed spaces for video calls. The best colivings have 2-3 of these.
- Booking systems — Some spaces let you reserve a quiet room for important calls.
- Quiet hours — Many colivings have “deep work” hours (usually 9am-1pm) where common areas are kept quiet.
How YOU solve this:
- Noise-canceling headphones are not optional. Get good ones.
- Virtual backgrounds in Zoom/Meet/Teams. Nobody needs to see the communal kitchen behind you.
- Schedule important calls in the morning when most people are at their desks, not wandering the house.
- Communicate your schedule. A simple “Hey, I have a client call at 3pm, can you keep it down near the office?” works 99% of the time.
Time zones: the real challenge
If your team is in San Francisco and you’re in a coliving in Portugal, your “morning standup” is at 5pm local time. This means your workday starts late, and you miss the communal dinner because you’re still on calls.
The fix: Choose destinations within 3-4 hours of your team’s time zone if possible. If not, negotiate async communication with your team — most good remote companies are already set up for this.
Alternatively, embrace the offset. Work European mornings for deep focus (your team is asleep), overlap for 3-4 hours in the afternoon, and have your evenings free. Many nomads say the time zone difference actually makes them more productive.
Staying productive while living with 20 people
Set boundaries early. Tell your housemates your work hours on day one. “I’m heads-down 9 to 1, then I’m social.” People respect this if you communicate it.
Find your routine fast. The first 2-3 days at a coliving are chaotic — you’re meeting everyone, exploring the area, staying up late. By day 4, lock in a routine. Same desk, same hours, same coffee spot.
Use the energy, don’t fight it. The best part of working from a coliving is the ambient motivation. Everyone around you is also working remotely, building things, solving problems. It’s like a library where everyone’s interesting. Let that energy fuel you instead of distract you.
Take breaks with people. Lunch with housemates, afternoon walk, sunset beer. These aren’t distractions — they’re why you chose coliving over a lonely Airbnb. The social breaks make the focused hours more productive.
Know when to leave the house. Some days the coliving is too social and you need to disappear into a cafe for a few hours. That’s normal and healthy.
What to ask before booking
Before you commit to a coliving as a remote worker, ask these questions:
- What’s the WiFi speed? (Accept nothing under 50 Mbps)
- Is there a dedicated workspace or just common areas?
- Are there call nooks or private spaces for video meetings?
- What are the quiet hours?
- Is there a backup internet connection?
- Are there external monitors or just desk space?
If the coliving can’t answer these clearly, they’re not set up for serious remote work.
Browse work-focused colivings in our directory to find spaces built for getting things done.