Have you ever thought “It would be nice to always have a friend next-door”?
If so, you’re not alone. We touched on it when we talked about the factors driving coliving’s popularity. People today seek connection – they want to be near others whose presence they enjoy.
They want community living, in other words. But how does that look in the coliving setting, exactly? And what can it offer?
These are the questions we’ll answer today as we take a closer look at what this type of living means. Maybe in the process, we can help you figure out if it’s for you as well!
What Is Community Living?
As we said before in our guide to community living, it’s what happens when a group of (usually unrelated) people agree to live in the same space with shared rules.
Note that even in coliving terms, the shared space can be variable. It can even be anything from a single building to a multi-building area.
An example of the first is our own House coliving accommodation, which is a building that can hold up to 50 residents. Meanwhile, independent-living communities for seniors are examples of the second.
The shared rules too can vary widely. The rules seniors follow in their retirement communities are different from those that monks follow in monasteries. Yet both are examples of (general) community living!
At the core of virtually all communities is the idea of sharing and connection.
Community Living in a Coliving Space vs. Standard Apartment
How is coliving-style community living different from standard apartment living? Let’s cover some of the key points briefly here:
The Physical Setup
Look at a coliving space and you’ll be struck by how many areas are shared. This means most rooms beyond the bedroom: kitchens, lounges, laundry rooms, etc.
In most traditional apartments, a lot of those spaces are kept private. Each tenant has his own kitchen and living room, for example, which is a clear difference.
The Facilities and Amenities
A lot of the shared areas in coliving spaces are also designed to promote a communal lifestyle. They encourage it instead of just making it possible.
Take a walk through a coliving building’s coworking spaces or recreational areas. You’ll see inviting workspaces with appealing furniture, game rooms, etc.
Within those areas, many coliving spaces also offer group events for residents. Some do parties and game nights. Others even put together charity drives, as we’ll show you later.
These things aren’t provided with traditional housing. There, people are more or less left to their own devices for entertainment.
The Rent Composition
This is another of the clear differences between the two. Traditional apartments often charge rent plus a service fee exclusive of utilities.
Hence, staying in a traditional apartment means you’ll have to pay rent to your landlord each month. Then, you also have to pay your utility bills (electricity, water, internet, etc.) to each provider separately.
Coliving spaces often do an all-inclusive fee, on the other hand. This means your payment to your landlord will already include payment for utilities.
Who Is a Coliving Community Best For?
Now we come to a key question: who should be trying this type of community living? Who seems to thrive most in it or get the most benefits from this setup?
Thus far, we’ve noticed these trends in the coliving industry’s customer base. This may help us see who seems to fit best in this lifestyle.
Demographics
First, we have to note that the demographics vary for short-stay and long-stay coliving. If you want to dive deeper into that, take a look at our study of key industry statistics in the Netherlands.
Overall, the coliving community experience seems to be most popular with these groups:
- Young professionals
- Digital nomads / remote workers
- Students
- Expats
It’s easy to see why. Coliving spaces’ terms (flexible contracts, cost-efficiency, etc.) suit the needs of such demographics.
Psychographics
Those who enjoy coliving communities usually like sharing living environments.
Young professionals are often in this category. That may tie into their affinity for the sharing economy, something we’ve seen in Millennials.
The same goes for those who travel often or are remote workers. This may be partly due to their need for flexibility and ease of relocation.
It may also be affected by their desire for the traditional social benefits of communities. Coliving gives them those benefits without forcing them to be tied down.
In general, the coliving community appears to be best for people with these traits:
- Open to socialisation
- Flexible in arrangements
- Desire to belong to a community
Advantages Of Coliving Community Living
There are clear benefits to community living in the coliving setting. We’ve already touched on several! But there are even more to get into, which we can split into two categories.
Social and Emotional Benefits
As we already said, community living is about being part of a group. As such, one of its key benefits is the chance for social interaction.
Community living can help reduce feelings of loneliness. In coliving spaces, there are community managers ready to connect people.
Our own spaces at The Citylifer host around four events each year for this. Examples include an annual Kingsday Event and jamming in the park with cocktails. We also put together events for yoga, Mooie Boules, Halloween, Après-ski, and more!
Coliving offers a built-in support system for residents. It also offers a prepared foundation for expanding your network.
Economic Advantages
As a CBRE Europe Co-living Report stated, coliving spaces are often 20% to 50% cheaper to rent than comparable traditional apartments. Add the fact that most of them include utilities in their rates too and you really see the difference.
Let’s say you’re looking for a one-bedroom in Amsterdam. The cheapest confirmed-price listing on Funda is typically around €1,000 a month, exclusive of utility costs!
Now say you’re willing to expand your search to coliving options. Doing so actually gives you access to rates as low as €679 per month, with utilities often included.
Even if we say this rate is “only” 20% cheaper than a traditional alternative that may not be listed on Funda, coliving wins the cost equation. That’s because the traditional alternative would still come out to €848.75, without utilities!
High Convenience
There are a lot of conveniences in coliving communities. Let’s start with the community manager.
Traditional rented accommodations don’t have equivalents for them. Community managers can serve as info desks for the building, community, and even the area!
In addition, coliving arrangements typically come with all-inclusive setups, as we said earlier. You don’t need to worry about setting up or canceling utility contracts, for instance. Your coliving operator will handle all of that for you.
Challenges of the Coliving Community Experience
Of course, nothing is perfect. Even coliving-type community living has its downsides, the most important of which are the ones below.
Privacy Concerns
Privacy is perhaps the biggest drawback of this type of community living. It’s still possible, of course. Community activities are always optional. As for areas, living spaces like bedrooms and bathrooms are usually still private.
But in these environments, many other areas are shared. Thus, those who want privacy will need to be more careful about where they go to seek it or when.
The Possibility of Conflict
One thing that can’t be avoided in any community is conflict. It’s just a natural possibility of people interacting with each other.
Fortunately, conflict is often reduced by community rules in coliving spaces. Community managers also handle conflict resolution when necessary.
Coliving Community Success Stories
Despite its potential downsides, there seem to be more successes with this type of shared living space than otherwise. Even among our own tenants, we constantly find more satisfaction than complaints.
And this particular story from Reddit illustrates its appeal to regular travelers. It shows a man describing his first experience of coliving at Bansko, Bulgaria. One can even see his initial reservations before he realizes the potential.
He later went on to praise the experience. He said that while he had access to his own studio apartment, he also still got access to group activities. He also said that while coliving was not needed for socialisation on trips, it still made it much easier.
“It's a co-living apartment complex with a community building, outdoor BBQ space and a pool as well. I said I wasn't really into sharing kitchens or bathrooms with other people and they said it was all self contained apartments, but as mentioned, with community spaces. The price is what sold me. $250.00 a month!!”
This is natural for this kind of shared living space. In it, social opportunities and community involvement are key. At our own spaces, members have contributed over 6,500 hours of volunteering work for the charity, NL Cares, for example.
That alone indicates what communities formed by spaces like these can achieve! Coliving communities can have positive outcomes not just for individuals but for society at large.
Could communal living like this be for you?
So, is this type of communal living in your future? It may be if you fit the profile we described earlier and want to forge deeper connections with others.
Coliving-style community living is chiefly about that, at the end of the day. It also has benefits such as cost-effectiveness and convenience. Still, it’s the social aspect of it that’s most noteworthy.
If you want an alternative to traditional housing, you may want to look into this type of space. Who knows, it may be just what you need for a new lease on life!
The Citylifer Perspective
The Citylifer makes communal spaces for social interaction. Offering privacy and connection, we redefine modern co-living.
Safe and Intimate Communities
At The Citylifer, the community comes above all. We aim to foster connections while maintaining bonds. This goal is why we limit each community cluster to 25 residents. These clusters share a “Family Room” for cooking, dining, leisure, and more. This arrangement creates a setting where friendships can flourish. It also enhances people’s sense of safety and satisfaction with the space.
Balancing Privacy and Community
Recognizing the critical importance of personal space, each resident at The Citylifer enjoys the luxury of their own self-contained studio apartment. These spaces feature a private kitchen and bathroom, combining autonomy with the shared living experience. Further enhancing your comfort, our studios are meticulously designed to optimize storage and functionality. Our innovative “High Five” furniture set transforms your studio into a multifunctional space that can serve as a bedroom, office, walk-in closet, sports area, or entertainment room. Need more storage? Additional options are available within the building.
Quiet and private spaces
At The Citylifer, we have soundproof rooms for your peaceful moments. We understand the need for a quiet spot in the middle of the city.
Proactive Conflict Management
While we all hope to avoid conflicts, the reality is that shared living spaces can sometimes lead to tension. To mitigate this, The Citylifer enforces comprehensive house rules, particularly focusing on cleanliness in shared areas, which are also regularly cleaned as part of our service package. In the unlikely event that conflicts do arise, our on-site management team is specially trained in conflict resolution. Additionally, each community cluster has its own “Trailblazer”—a seasoned resident who helps newcomers acclimate and aids in resolving any community disagreements.
FAQ
Coliving communities usually emphasise sustainable lifestyles. In fact, it’s easy to find coliving space operators who focus on sustainability. We do at The Citylifer!
Most coliving spaces will have living spaces for couples. Depending on the operator and space you’re looking at, you can even find ones for entire families.
Not at all! Coliving spaces still have living spaces designated for private use, such as bedrooms and private units. This means that people who want to be alone for a while can find the space they need at all times.
It depends on the event, but usually, entry into community events at coliving spaces is free!
