Before you start looking

When you go looking for office space, you’ve probably already set a budget for it. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs make the mistake of fixating on the monthly rent of the office spaces they come across. That rent is actually only part of your total cost for renting office space. There are plenty of other costs involved in renting an office, but what does office space really cost? We’ll dive deeper into that question below!

Base rental prices

There are two ways rental prices for office space can be calculated: per square metre or per workstation. When the rent is calculated per square metre, this is usually the rent you have to pay per year. So if you see an office space with a rent of €99 per m2, and you rent a small office of 100 m2, you’ll pay €9,900 per year for it. That works out to €825 per month in base rent.

When the rent is calculated per workstation, as is often the case in business centres, you’ll notice this usually works out higher once converted to square metres. That’s because these shared buildings often use an all-inclusive price; you’re not just paying for the space, but also for the facilities the building has to offer.

Monthly fixed costs for your office

Let’s assume you have your eye on an office space and you know the base rent. You may then also need to factor in the following monthly costs:

  • Service charges;
  • Electricity, gas and water;
  • Insurance, such as contents insurance;
  • Internet and telephony;
  • Coffee and tea facilities;
  • Cleaning costs.

Additional services for your office or workspace

Many office buildings and business centres offer the option of purchasing additional services. These are often optional, so you can choose whether or not to take them. Be sure to factor in the following services and their possible associated costs:

  • Telephone answering service;
  • Business mail handling;
  • Rental of meeting rooms;
  • Lunch;
  • (Additional) security;
  • Rental of (fixed) parking spaces.

And then a little more on top

If you add up all the costs mentioned above, you’ll have a fairly good picture of the total monthly cost of your office space. But you’re not quite there yet. Depending on the type of office space you want to rent and the facilities available, you may also face start-up costs.

The bottom line

All in all, you can expect reasonable costs. The following costs affect the price you’ll pay for an office or workspace:

  • Base rent per month
  • Standard fixed costs
  • Possible additional services taken
  • Start-up costs and/or deposit

Good to keep in mind before you draw up a shortlist of promising offices. Ready to start your search? Then take a look at our extensive range of offices!