Guide to Cambodia coworking spaces

Prior to 2020, imagining a future where no one went to work from an office, but rather, did all their work via the internet seemed like science fiction.

Cambodia, and Phnom Penh in particular, saw a rise in the number of coworking spaces targeting digital nomads open up between 2016 and 2020, then the COVID-19 and pandemic totally changed the work dynamic globally and remote working and the gig economy seems more than likely a part of the modern workforce.

The independence of being a freelancer, entrepreneur or digital nomad, or working remotely for full-time work has become more of a reality for more people.

Cambodia was even ranked among the top ten nations for remote workers (digital nomads) to work from according to Club Med in 2021.

There are also a wealth of options for finding office space in Cambodia. In 2020, Phnom Penh added 11 centrally owned office buildings - an additional 125,500 square metres (sqm) of office space- and a 34 per cent increase compared with 2019.

Fast forward to the latter stages of COVID-19, by mid-2021 and the office building market is plentiful following the pandemic but CBRE said "previous economic downturns have been historically followed by leaps in technology, activity, and overall growth for economies, including real estate."

As the population becomes more urbanised and more connected via tech, startup culture and opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are growing. However, these enterprises often have trouble securing capital. Coworking spaces can mitigate this problem.

Coworking spaces usually offer up desk space, internet and other office amenities for a daily or monthly fee. They are a niche market but are also seeing integration into new mixed-use developments. These can be used as yet another outlet for developers and landlords wanting to hedge their bets in larger complexes.

Here’s a guide to the best Cambodian coworking spaces.

Coworking spaces in Phnom Penh:

Phnom Penh is where most of the Cambodia coworking spaces are located. They all have a different vibe. We've given the most prominent spaces a short profile so you can decide which is the best suited for you.

Impact Hub - The revolutionary coworking space

 

Located in the heart of Phnom Penh’s BKK1, Impact Hub is a coworking space in Phnom Penh that aims to be more than just a place to work. They have tons of incubator programs and supportive programmes, workshops & events, mentorships, and resourceful networks.

Impact Hub has a wide range of payment plans and its best to contact them for the latest rates to suit your needs.

Weighing in on the startup culture in Cambodia, Impact Hub’s Director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Melanie Mossard, said the community of Khmer entrepreneurs there was mostly young graduates who were eager to bring innovation to the country.

“The most pressing challenges for local entrepreneurs are getting access to capital, building communications skills for the business sector and developing human resources,” she noted, explaining that Impact Hub was adding even more programs such as mentorships, masterclasses, and an Innovation Space.

They have partnered with several leading tech companies over recent years and also added a number of platforms to allow innovators to develop projects.

 

WS1 by Factory Phnom Penh - The urban coworking space 

Just off National Highway 2 south of Phnom Penh, you’ll find the stylish Factory complex. The name says it all as this compound was set up in what used to be a factory. Graffiti pieces adorn the walls, and there’s a bike-share system. There is a whole community and tons of space offering a great vibe.

Renting a coworking space at the WS1 Factory Workspace differs from a one-day pass or month access which has more features. Full offices can also be rented on a monthly agreement and they have more long-term options as well that span as much as 160 square metres.

According to the Factory’s Corbett Hix, visitors to Workspace 1 include foreigners, local freelancers and startups. The rest of the campus, however, is occupied mostly by local businesses. 

“The truth is, despite the lack of a mature banking sector, there is a lot of private money floating around this country looking for an investment ...What we’re trying to do here at Factory, over the long term, is provide a place of inspiration, a place that will help cultivate original business ideas,” he said, adding that they wanted to provide training covering the less exciting parts of starting a business.

The Factory is always evolving and there are on-site cafes, eateries, a craft beer brewery, art and performance spaces and a trampoline park.

Emerald Hub - The startup coworking space

With Phnom Penh locations in both 7 Makara and BKK3, Emerald Hub’s coworking spaces seem to be tailored directly to the startup crowd. They boast a ton of community programming, mentor programs and partnerships with big names such as Smart and Sabay Digital.

Day passes and monthly passes can also be purchased. You will get a feel for the local business scene if you spend enough time at Emerald Hub. 

Chea Mara, Emerald Hub’s general manager, said that 90% of the workers there are locals who are either long-time freelancers or part of established enterprises.

“I think commitment and business operations are the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs in the country,” Mara said.

(By mid-2021 it looked as if operations may have ceased).

 

SmallWorld Realty - The original Cambodia coworking space

Touting itself as Cambodia’s first homegrown workspace, SmallWorld is set up in the capital and was founded by local maverick Rithy Thul back in December of 2011. He is the brains behind several startups in Cambodia including Koompi, VitaminAir, and Selandra (Blockchain network focusing on empowering developers to build real-world Apps/Dapps)

SmallWorld Realty was set up to look after the shared working space which is located at Raintree in 2021. They have co-working spaces, virtual offices, meeting rooms and within the building ar a rooftop area and cafe.

 

The Desk - The micro-office coworking space

Selling itself as a space for micro-businesses in the ramp-up stage (but there are also freelancers, bloggers, etc). The Desk is a co-working space in Phnom Penh that aims to provide a community around their Tonle Bassac office.

In addition to offering free mentorships, the organisation behind The Desk has ties to other coworking spaces in the region so they can facilitate travel between them for those on longer trips.

A single desk here starts at $60 a month. Other plans are tailored to larger groups, such as the private offices that cost $350 per month and can accommodate six people. 

Norith Kim, a co-founder of The Desk, said that around 30% of the patrons there are foreigners, but the rest are mostly young local entrepreneurs. He added that there was no shortage of passion or enthusiasm in the country. However, he said the biggest challenge for newcomers is often establishing an airtight plan and assembling all the necessary skills.

“Most of them are just inspired to run the business without a solid plan. They need to invest at least three to five years working for different companies so they can build their capacity before investing in [their own] business,” he urged.

 

Sahaka - The inspiring Cambodian coworking space

Founded by four local ladies, this space on the south end of Phnom Penh with a tall ceiling and spacious design. Sahaka is pitched as a space that is both affordable and professional. 

If you’re keen on starting a business in Cambodia, this could be a place you want to try out. In addition to co-working facilities, they also offer consulting services on business registration and tax compliance in the country.

There are serviced and private offices as well as open workspaces. Even if you aren’t looking for desk space, they host some great training seminars and lectures from regional experts.

The Atom Vattanac- The classy business space

The Atom is one of the newest working spaces in Phnom Penh, entering the market late in 2020 and offers a premium co-working hub located on the sixth floor of the Vattanac Capital Lifestyle Cube. 

There is an in-house cafe and a selection of open working spaces and private offices, meeting spaces and premium lounge seating to work from. This will be an ideal business hub for professionals staying in the area.

 

The Outpost - The boutique coworking space

Relatively secluded on the Chroy Changvar peninsula is Outpost, a co-living and a 24-hour co-working space that offers up a well-tailored experience. They are on the top two floors of a green penthouse and boast balconies, a library and even meditation areas. 

David Abraham, is the co-founder of Outpost and added that they collaborate with the Yellow Tower, offering advice and thoughts on what makes a good community.

The living space saw a mix of first-time travellers and established entrepreneurs. At the coworking space, however, it was a vast mix of locals and visitors.

The Outpost was looking at moving location in mid-2021, posting online:  "Outpost Cambodia is currently moving. We will be reopening shortly in a new location. We can’t wait to welcome you to our new destination."

Yellow Tower - The Urban Oasis was still promoting office space and co-working space by July 2021.

 

Map of Phnom Penh coworking spaces:

If you want to discover all of the different visa options to work in Cambodia legally, see our guide on visas in Cambodia.

Siem Reap coworking spaces:

Siem Reap has also seen coworking spaces pop up over recent years. However, the venues here can blur the line between business and hospitality and still compete with the numerous coffee shops in the Kingdom.

The coworking spaces that offer accommodation have guesthouses and hotels to contend with as well.

AngkorHUB - The digital nomad space

Siem Reap’s AngkorHUB was one of the nation’s first coworking and living spaces with a social mission when it began operating. Since it has both workspace and accommodation on offer near one of the nation’s top tourist draws, it’s no surprise that it attracts those who work and travel simultaneously.

Their space offers a range of features including SIM cards, airport pickup, food and even a cat named Tyler. They offer daily and monthly plans as well as accommodation plans that include access to the working space.

Speaking on the evolution of coworking spaces in Cambodia, AngkorHUB founder Jeff Laflamme said that people are still accustomed to the idea of working for free in cafes. Businesses are evolving, however, and offering more help to new entrepreneurs.

Even though a large chunk of AngkorHUB's customers are travellers, Laflamme added that promoting awareness about new working opportunities was a central mission of the place.

“One of the biggest obstacles for Cambodians is that they are unaware of the opportunities of entrepreneurship. The current education system doesn’t seem to be addressing the current global workplace shifts,” Laflamme said.

 

BioLab - The coffee lover’s coworking space

If you love that coffeehouse vibe but want a dedicated place to work, Siem Reap’s BioLab may be the perfect middle ground. In addition to serving up java and snacks, this place offers a slew of productivity features. They have printing and scanning facilities as well as stationary available. 

The coffee served in glass beakers, is the focus here. It could be the best choice if you are a new entrepreneur and don’t yet want to commit to a more business-focused workspace. Buying food or drinks gets you access here, so it’s one of the cheapest options.

BioLab’s manager Samnang Chou claimed that the majority of the patrons here are local freelancers. 

“Most of them depend on the flow of tourists. To overcome this they should focus on both local and tourist customers.”

 

Map of Siem Reap coworking spaces:

Kampot coworking spaces:

Kampot has always had a roaming and easy-come-easy-go expat population but more digital nomads and remote workers have opted for the laid back lifestyle in Kampot.

This has seen more dedicated working spaces being added, but completion with the many excellent cafes in the riverside town is still fierce.

Nomad Working Space - The mixed living digital nomad hangout

This mixed hostel and guesthouse in Kampot also offer working spaces for short to mod term remote workers and digital nomads. 

There is a large roof space and a gym has also been added in 2021. Conference rooms and private offices are available to rent with access to A.V, projectors, whiteboards, flipcharts, desktop computers, super-fast fibre optic internet etc

There are 3 restaurants on-site and access to coffee and snacks.

A niche market

Coworking spaces have had to ride out a turbulent time with the pandemic and some are still out of reach to some entrepreneurs and freelancers.

Cafes are abundant throughout Cambodia and often preferred by some working remotely but for digital nomads, online teachers, startups and other tech-savvy professionals, a better-dedicated co-working space is better suited.

Some of the requirements are the stability of printer access, consistent and fast wifi and air conditioning. Some remote workers also prefer to have green or open spaces when escaping their living environment

If you want to elevate your business skills to the next level, download our free Investment Guide. It's got a full rundown of everything about enterprise in the Kingdom!