Kathmandu is the capital of the Republic of Nepal—the country famous for being home to eight of the ten highest mountain peaks in the world, including Mount Everest. Although the nation’s total population is over 30 million, the city of Kathmandu barely has over one million residents. That’s rather small compared to neighboring countries and their capital megacities. This is because the Nepalese mostly live in rural areas and rely on agriculture and tourism to make a living.
That being said, the capital city is following global trends and offers rare but meaningful opportunities in fields such as IT, finance, marketing, and similar, typically office-based jobs.
Tip: If you’re concerned about your visa requirements, check out this handy guide for everything you need to know.
For small businesses without corporate offices and those who work remotely, there’s a handful of excellent coworking spaces in Kathmandu.
Some of them belong to multinational chains, while others have appeared because local communities recognized a need for them. They may not all be state-of-the-art, as we’ve seen in some other major cities, but they will get the job done.
What really makes Kathmandu attractive is the prices. They’re extremely low by global standards, especially for expats from the western hemisphere that like to work and travel. Here are the six coworking spaces you should visit, as well as two to avoid:
- Innovation Hive
- Rem.Work HQ
- Regus Kathmandu Trade Tower
- Rem.Work@Fairfield by Marriott
- Work Around
- Rem.Work@Vivanta Hotel
- (AVOID) Mero Office
- (AVOID) Lindu
Our Favorite Coworking Space in Kathmandu Is Innovation Hive
Source: Innovation Hive Website
Innovation Hive sets up very high standards and is the most well-rounded coworking space in Kathmandu. The offices are located in the Movers and Shakers corporate tower, which is a standout building in the city. Apart from the workspace packages, the facility offers great amenities such as:
- Parking on-site in a secure, enclosed parking lot or on the building’s premise
- An on-site restaurant/canteen where you can grab fresh, local food at a reasonable price
- Meditation and lounge rooms are located throughout the building
- A rooftop terrace with an open bar where you can grab a drink
- 24/7 access to the facility
The interior design is professional, with splashes of color and contemporary artwork making sure it’s not monotone. Innovation Hive is truly great, even by global standards.
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
For larger offices, you’ll have to inquire based on your needs |
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours | Open 24/7 |
| 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 (Airbbnb’s nearby) |
Other Coworking Spaces in Kathmandu We Also Recommend
Rem.Work HQ
Source: Rem.Work Facebook
Rem.Work HQ is one of the three current coworking spaces in Kathmandu under the Rem.Work brand. The founders, Nirvaan and Nirakaar, clearly understood what they were doing when they made this space. It’s fully equipped and provides vital support to freelancers, startups, and small businesses.
The place provides social and educational programs, such as the member Facebook group, Slack channel, workshops, and event pitching. The workspace is equipped to provide vital support to freelancers, startups, and small businesses. Many loyal customers cite that Rem.Work HQ was integral in kick-starting or advancing their careers.
When not working, help yourself to the reading area, and full kitchen, grab some free tea or coffee, and play some board games or table tennis. The level of focus on community building and growing with its users makes this coworking space a “Top 3” in Kathmandu, for sure. To top things off, the prices are great.
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
|
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours | Every day 8 am–8 pm |
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes |
| Standing Desk | No |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | Yes |
| Private Offices | Yes |
| Conference room / Event rooms | Yes |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | Yes |
| Coliving | No |
Regus Kathmandu Trade Tower
Source: Regus Website
Regus is a global chain of office rental spaces with over 3000 locations worldwide. One of them is located in the Kathmandu Trade Tower business center. Registered Regus members have access to and can use credits for all of their office spaces across the globe.
Among other services, Regus offers a “Virtual Office” service, starting at $0.75 (NPR 90) per day. This means that, apart from full-time working space, your startup or company may find its new permanent address at the Regus facility. Members also enjoy worldwide connections through private channels, such as the Regus community app. This is why Regus is our top pick for registering or relocating your business.
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
Regus offers many offices and additional services, but you’ll have to inquire about them with the company |
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours |
|
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes |
| Standing Desk | Yes |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | No |
| Private Offices | Yes |
| Conference room / Event rooms | Yes |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | Yes |
| Coliving | No |
Rem.Work@Fairfield by Marriott
Source: Rem Facebook
Opened on February 5th, 2020, Rem.Work@Fairfield by Marriott is the newest coworking space from the Rem.Work brand. These office spaces are luxurious, with premium furniture and lots of natural light coming in. As it stands, they only offer walk-in, daily options for rent. Long-term, private office solutions will have to be discussed separately, as the 3-star Fairfield Hotel owns them all and leases to Rem.Work for rent. On-site, you’ll find amenities such as:
- Showers
- Nap rooms
- Cafe and restaurant
- Lounge areas
- Gym
Most of them, however, will have to be paid out of your pocket. This is also one of the few office spaces in Kathmandu that offers standing desks. Those who are looking for high-class work and travel experience should look no further.
| Basics | |
| Pricing | Hot desk per day: $7.15 (NPR 850) |
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours |
|
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes |
| Standing Desk | No |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | No |
| Private Offices | No |
| Conference room / Event rooms | Yes |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | Yes |
| Coliving | Yes (Hotel) |
Work Around
Source: Work Around Facebook
Work Around is a coworking space that self-describes as a “startup for startups”. It may not be as visually impressive or full of perks as some of the other spaces, but it has a big following (10,000 Facebook likes) for good reasons.
Firstly, not only does it have the lowest prices in the city, but we’re talking way lower than competitors. That being said, the only workstation you can get is a hot desk. The entire venue can only fit up to 30 people. There is no private working space, and it only works on a “first come, first served” basis.
Secondly, they have a membership program that allows monthly members to declare a beneficiary to their subscription. It allows two people to split their time for a single price. This feature is especially popular among students looking for a quiet place to study a few days per week. The vast internet following has allowed Work Around to become a place for frequent learning and social events as well. I would not recommend it for groups of people, though, as the space is limited.
| Basics | |
| Pricing |
|
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours | Every day 9 am–6 pm |
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | No |
| Standing Desk | No |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | No |
| Private Offices | No |
| Conference room / Event rooms | No |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | No |
| Coliving | No |
Rem.Work@Vivanta Hotel
Source: Rem Facebook
Another extension of the Rem.Work coworking spaces, located inside the Vivanta, a 4-star hotel. These office spaces offer typical coworking amenities, such as ergonomic chairs, printers, phone booths, and free refreshments. At your own expense, you may also enjoy the hotel’s perks, such as:
- On-site cafe and restaurant
- Swimming pool
- Outdoor terraces
- Lounge room
These spaces are also used for many community and learning events. Unfortunately, there are no dedicated desks, and those looking for private office spaces will have to inquire with the hotel. Individuals who enjoy work and travel and aren’t afraid of spending a little more will love this place.
| Basics | |
| Pricing | Hot desk per day: $6.50 (NPR 767) |
| High-Speed Internet | 100 megabit fiber |
| Open Hours |
|
| Ergonomics | |
| Comfortable Chairs | Yes |
| Standing Desk | No |
| Workspaces | |
| Dedicated Desks | No |
| Private Offices | No |
| Conference room / Event rooms | Yes |
| Phone booths / Skype rooms | Yes |
| Coliving | Yes (Hotel) |
These Are the Two Coworking Spaces We Would Not Recommend
Mero Office
Mero Office is a single office space in an otherwise residential building that offers nothing noteworthy.
The interior is ugly, the lighting is terrible, and the furniture is old and dusty. The office is also hard to reach since it’s located all the way down south in the city. The single table only has room for six people.
Even worse, the prices are just ridiculous. For the same price—$4.25 (NPR 500) per day—you can get a space in Rem.Work HQ, or go to Work Around for half as much. Don’t waste your time with this one—it’s just plain bad.
Lindu
Lindu is a coworking cafe that’s an extension of the hostel in the same building.
The only positive thing about it is that it offers backpackers a place to sleep on-site. Other than that, there are many things wrong with it. First of all, it’s an open-air cafe, meaning it’s heavily weather dependent. Nobody wants to work around exposed electric sockets and risk their equipment being damaged by the possibility of wind and rain.
To top it off, many users have reported the cafe is used casually as well. This means that distractions like music, laughter, and conversation are all present while you try to work. The place is much more suited for backpackers to grab a drink, recharge their electronics, check their emails, catch up on social media, etc.