National flexible workspace operators continue to charge significantly higher prices than independent coworking providers, with enterprises paying a premium for established brands and multi-city networks, according to a new report from myHQ and reported by Realty & More.
The study analyzed five years of transaction data from 1,384 coworking centers across 30 Indian cities and found that national brands maintained an average price premium of more than 19% between 2021 and 2026.
National Brands Continue to Outprice Independent Operators
Major operators including WeWork, Awfis, Smartworks, 91Springboard, and Innov8 charged a median monthly rate of about $90 per seat, compared with roughly $75 per seat for comparable independent operators in the same locations.
The report attributes the consistent premium to enterprise demand for standardized services, predictable experiences, and access to nationwide office networks. It projects the pricing gap could widen to 25% by fiscal year 2028 as more companies consolidate workspace needs with larger operators.
Hyderabad Leads Office Expansion
Hyderabad recorded the strongest office expansion among occupiers, with companies increasing their seat counts by an average of 187% when expanding from their initial bookings.
Bengaluru followed with 147% average seat growth, ahead of Noida (91%), Delhi (76%), and Gurgaon (67%), reflecting continued demand across India’s largest commercial hubs.
The report also found startups expanded office space the fastest after moving into coworking spaces, while larger enterprises continued adopting flexible workspaces as a long-term real estate strategy rather than temporary overflow space.
Longer Commitments Lower Costs
Pricing also varied based on contract length and booking size.
Companies choosing shorter lease commitments paid an average flexibility premium of 8.2%, while larger bookings unlocked volume discounts. Businesses committing to longer lock-in periods and larger seat counts were able to reduce annual occupancy costs significantly.
According to myHQ, pricing, brand strength, and enterprise demand are expected to play an increasingly important role as India’s flexible workspace market continues to mature.
