You can work remotely, meaning you can work from, well, anywhere! Hello beach life! So off you go, traveling the world when the whim takes you, working from exotic places and new cultures, but you can’t shake the feeling that there’s something missing. That something is community, and that’s where Coliving comes in.
Through Coliving, you get to live in paradises of your choosing around the world. You still get your work done remotely. And, most importantly, you surround yourself with likeminded people. Curious? Well, buckle up and read on to learn what it is, the best ones out there, how to get some of those wholesome coliving vibes into your working life, and how startups can help.
Simply put, Coliving is where you can live alongside others, in spaces with shared common spaces and (usually) private rooms, around the world. Now, there’s a whole lot of different coliving types out there, but the ones we’re most into are the options for remote workers.
With all the people who can work remotely now, even if just for a month or so per year, there’s been an explosion in coliving spaces to cater to them. With coworking areas and fast wifi guaranteed for you to work effectively. With private rooms to recharge in. And shared spaces to hang out in; kitchens, lounges, pools, outdoor areas and more.
So that you can share moments socializing over cooking, on the balcony catching the sunset, and even doing daily wellness together with other remote workers.
Really, it starts with you having a remote job. (click here to see Work in Startups jobs board if you want one). There are hundreds of startups currently hiring for remote jobs, some even offering coworking and coliving benefits. Then you’ll want to join a coliving that has the right vibe for you – near the beach for daily surf and sunset drinks? Or by a powdery mountain for a.m. skiing and evening saunas?
Once you’re out there, you’ll spend longer than on retreats or at hostels staying; typically guests of Colivings stay for between 2 weeks and a few months. Afterall, you’re working out there and building a lifestyle around it; not passing by like a tourist.
You’ll have your own room, and use the common spaces to meet amazing remote workers from around the world in your free time. Lounging together, sharing meals, exploring towns, and well, having fun I guess. Importantly, when you need to work, there’ll be the cowork area to do this from. The best part is that everyone else out there will have work to do too; so you’ll feel the momentum of others around working hard while you do. Heck, quite a lot of time collaborations happen in the cowork spaces too; there’s a lot of talented people living the free way of life that Coliving enables afterall.
The good news is, there’s so many coliving spaces emerging right now. So, in choosing one, simply ask yourself “what environment do I want to live in – beach, cities, forest, lakes? What activities do I want to do before/after work – surfing, yoga, street-food hunting, hiking, partying…?”. Of course, another thing to keep in mind is timezones. If you’re working at a startup that’s on European timezones, it may be best to stick to a region on a similar longitude as them.
You’ll also want to consider prices too. Want to colive in a beautiful renovated French castle, with a high-ceilinged double bedroom, in acres of ancient farmland? Well, there’s a coliving experience for that! But you’re gonna have to pay $$$ for it.
Here’s nine of our favorite coliving options for European timezone remote workers, along with their ‘vibes’:
A rural coworking and coliving space in northern Spain
With cottages and gardens where you can stay. Expect relaxed, slow-life vibes, homemade food, and kind people. Located in a rather remote village amongst hills & valleys. Edo and Maria who own the place put a lot of emphasis on communal dinners, which is rather lovely.
A coworking and coliving spaces in Taghazout, Morocco. With a location near the beach and a very strong surfing scene around you. Along with the cultural pros & cons that come with living in Morocco… the different foods, smells and camels everywhere.
A friendly space and community in the south of Portugal. Expect to be near a few beaches, not far from rolling forests, and 10 mins walk from the lively town of Lagos. They put a big emphasis on selecting kind and open people; making the vibes for living here for months rather pleasant.
A platform hosting a range of coliving spaces around the world, of all sizes and vibes. This is one of the places to check out on your search for the perfect coliving experience for your next community lifestyle. Particularly if you’d like to colive in a city or surf destination in Europe.
Our first chain on the list(!)
Selina are literally everywhere; and offer coliving passes where you can get a private room for a discounted price for a month, to use across any of their properties. Each of their properties include cowork spaces, kitchens, shared hangout spaces, daily wellness and more. That being said, expect a lot of hostel travelers and families there too; so not always ideal. Communal vibes can vary as can the types of people you’ll encounter.
Here’s something a bit different. Because rather than being in a natural / exotic location, this one’s in London and NY. Expect boujie vibes, plush shared common areas, cinema rooms, pools and cupboard sized bedrooms. And ready thy wallet; this one ain’t comin’ cheap
Immersed in the rather stunning natural landscape of Norway, this one’s in a traditionally cold country(!) Very intimate and cozy vibes here during the evenings. With a strong emphasis on hiking, surfing, climbing, mountaineering and making fires…
In the countryside of Northern France, this one’s in a castle. A goddamn castle. Need we say more? Very well… expect a warm community run by two hosts who prioritise shared meals & moments. In the midst of rolling green country, living and working from the renovated grand rooms of 12th century edifice.
Innate create coliving experiences to inspire innately fulfilling ways of life. With select communities created for a month at a time to live and cowork in deep nature, while immersing themselves in a theme each morning. Ranging from breathwork and meditation, to yoga and climbing for the month. If you’re looking to combine a retreat experience with working life, this might be for you.
This is an important question, particularly for female solo travelers.
Happily, colivings are some of the safest ways to remote-work and slow-travel. Because the communities at these spaces are full of people who are staying for a while, are often vetted too, and prioritise longer-lasting interactions. It also makes it easier to go out exploring around the colives, as you can go with people from the coliving community you’re part of.
It’s also very rare to get robbed, often with doors constantly open in coliving spaces as they’re so safe. It’s hard to get your stuff stolen by someone external when there’s always people at home, and they know who each other are. From this author’s experiences living in over 20 colives, almost every one of them has a community manager who is very clear about laying out the boundaries of acceptable behavior between colive members too. Meaning the deck is stacked in your favour when it comes to safety.
Now, I’m aware that working remotely is what enables most of this coliving life. If you don’t have a remote job yet, take a look at Work in Startups’s remote roles. Honestly, joining a startup may be your best bet for remote work, as they’ll often be more flexible in order to attract the best talent (plus, they’re just younger and more open minded most of the time).
Simply put, coliving is the future. If we want to live from beautiful places, explore the world and still get our work done remotely, while having real community around us. You need look no further. And really, what else do you need to feel fulfilled?!
You’ll make wonderful friends. Find collaborators in your work. And create stories worth telling – all without losing a day of holiday. So, what are you waiting for?
Sort the remote job, pack your laptop, and experience an alternate way of life: Coliving.
