A co-living space is a space rented by a number of people, all living under the same roof and in a community, but who will all have their own contract. Co-living spaces typically entail a private bedroom and bathroom and communal eating and living spaces.

On the other hand, a co-housing or flat-sharing is generally a number of people sharing a traditional family style house that has not been directly designed to be shared. Usually, co-housing will be entirely communal apart from each resident’s bedroom. Co-housing will also not include access to facilities on offer in co-living spaces.

Co-living however, is a recent trend in housing that is becoming much more popular, especially for those living in big cities. But how are co-living and co-housing different? And which is better?

Co-Living Vs Co-Housing Explained

One of the big advantages of co-living is the affordability aspect. Compared with renting a flat by yourself, co-living will usually be significantly cheaper, particularly in the busy city centres where these spaces are found.

Co-housing can also be an affordable option for those wanting to live in a city. However, the price you pay will be based on ‘normal’ factors that influence private rentals, such as the quality and desirability of the area of the property you’re hoping to move to and local amenities.

Generally speaking, these two options come out much cheaper than the option of living alone. However, a downside of co-housing is that you generally sign one contract together with all other residents, whether you know them or not.

This means that if another member of your household is unable to pay the rent for example, you may be liable to pay it for them. Whereas, with a co-living contract, you are only responsible for your own share of the rent and for your own room. It is certainly worth considering this before choosing between the two options.

Co-Living in a Community

Another upside to co-living is the pre-built community you can benefit from. Moving to a new city can be very daunting and the idea of having company and a potential group of friends can be very appealing. Although you don’t get to choose who you will be living with, this can be an upside.

Co-living can be a great way to meet a wide range of new people you might never have met otherwise. However, if you already have a pre-built group of friends and you are certain you want to live together, a co-housing arrangement could be the way to go.

Finding a flat-share contract with a group of friends means that you will know exactly what you are getting, no surprises when it comes to housemates.

What Do Co-Living Spaces Come With?

Co-living spaces come furnished which means another expense you can forget about. This makes the move-in process cheap and relatively stress-free. Because co-living is a fairly modern concept and co-living spaces need to be built or remodelled specifically to be fit for purpose and residents, space is often modern and well furnished.

Landlords often try to attract young professionals, which means the standard of finishing is usually very high. In comparison, opting for a co-housing can result in a wide range of standards, particularly in a large city like Lisbon or London.

Residents may end up with anything from a property with furnishings in brand new condition to potentially old and falling apart. Whether or not your flat-share comes furnished will depend on the property; some do, some don’t. If you are looking at an unfurnished flat-share it’s worth considering how much it will cost to furnish your flat and who’s going to pay that.

The Privacy of Co-Living

With a co-living space, you will have a clearly demarcated private space. Unlike a traditional house share, co-living has the advantage of clearly defined private space.

Your room is your own and having a private bathroom means you will never be late to work because you were queueing outside the bathroom. One of the potential downsides of co-housing will likely be that it is not designed for a group of individuals to live in.

You may find yourself waiting to do your laundry or queuing to take a shower. Generally speaking, co-living spaces are well designed to cater for the number of individuals they are housing with the right number of amenities to accommodate them.