It’s no secret that Penang is slowly becoming one of SEA’s major players in technology.
In a recent article, we covered some of the more interesting projects happening in the northwestern Malaysian state, all while highlighting the focus given by its state government toward building its economy through tech-based startups and SMEs.
As that scene grows, so proportionately does the amount of digital nomads and freelancers who are on the hunt for a place to be productive.
We thought it would be a great idea to list down all the co-working spaces that are currently available in Penang, broken up into the different tenure options to suit your co-working needs. We’ve tried to find as many as we could, and we will be updating this list once every six months or so, with new rates and spaces.
Roam Free: Hot Desks
For those seeking a workspace with the perk to roam freely, the hot desk is an ideal option, with most co-working spaces providing the choice to enter for a day or for extended periods.
The hot desk is usually the most basic option available and often comes with all the standard perks such as free-flow coffee and tea, and high speed WiFi. But to be safe, make sure to check with each space about what’s included and what isn’t.
| Co-Working Space | Location | Rates (Daily) | Rates (Extended) | Special Features |
| Regus, Spice Arena | Bayan Baru | From RM18 | Upon Inquiry | Within distance of the free trade zone |
| Regus, iDEAL | Bayan Baru | From RM27 | Upon Inquiry | Flexible tenure, strategic location |
| Co Here | Bukit Mertajam | RM20/6 hours RM30/day |
Upon Inquiry | Lockers, standing desks, custom-designed furniture |
| Flexispace | Butterworth | RM25 | RM250/month | Convenient transport access |
| Habitat | Butterworth | RM25 | RM100/week RM220/month |
Café-like environment with proper food & beverages |
| @CAT | George Town | RM25 | RM150/10 days | Links with various startups, connection to @CAT’s accelerator, Skype room |
| MSOGO | George Town | RM68 | RM488/month | In-house tech support, game room, startup events, hackathons |
| Regus Gurney Paragon | George Town | From RM27 | Upon Inquiry | Close proximity to Gurney Paragon Shopping Mall |
| Regus, Menara Boustead | George Town | From RM30 | Upon Inquiry | Close to tourist hotspots |
| Scoopoint | George Town | RM35 | RM180/10days RM399/month |
Consultation and branding services, partner benefits, incubator, creative focused, sea view |
| Settlements | George Town | RM30 | RM99/5 days RM350/month |
Online member network to share and promote services, nursery room, collaborations with various bodies to promote local startup community |
| Snooze50 | George Town | RM25 | RM100/week RM400/month |
Sleeping pods, ergonomic chairs for good posture |
| Urban CEO | George Town | RM30 | RM1,000/year | 100 mbps WiFi speeds, networking and entrepreneurship events |
| Bersama-Sama Co-Working Community | Seberang Perai | RM20 | RM80/5days RM200/month |
Networking events, strong collaborative community |
For Long Hauling: Fixed Desks & Private Offices
For those looking for a more permanent solution, the option of renting out a fixed desk is probably more enticing than a hot desk.
With a fixed desk, workers can experience the same benefits a hot desk provides but with added privacy benefits that may include 24/7 access to your working space, invitation to special networking events, and free meeting room usage.
Should the need for space or even more privacy arise, there is always the choice of a private office. While not all co-working spaces offer this option, those that do also also include the facility of a virtual office that comes with perks such as a receptionist service, and mail handling.
| Co-Working Space | Location | Fixed Desk | Private Office | Special Features |
| Regus, Spice Arena | Bayan Baru | Upon Inquiry | Upon Inquiry | Within distance of the free trade zone |
| Regus, iDEAL | Bayan Baru | Upon Inquiry | Upon Inquiry | Flexible tenure, strategic location |
| Co Here | Bukit Mertajam | RM350/month | From RM1,000/month | Lockers, standing desks, custom-designed furniture |
| Habitat | Butterworth | RM220/month | From RM480/month | Cafe-like environment with proper food & beverage |
| @CAT | George Town | RM300/month | N/A | Government-owned, links with various startups |
| MSOGO | George Town | RM599/month | RM2,500/month | In-house tech support, game room, startup events, hackathons |
| Regus, Menara Boustead | George Town | Upon Inquiry | Upon Inquiry | Close to tourist hotspots |
| Regus Gurney Paragon | George Town | Upon Inquiry | Upon Inquiry | Close proximity to Gurney Paragon Shopping Mall |
| Scoopoint | George Town | RM450/month | RM1,899/month | Consultation & branding services, partner benefits, incubator, creative focused, sea view |
| Settlements | George Town | RM500/month | RM700/month | Online member network to share and promote services, nursery room, collaborations with various bodies to promote local startup community |
| Urban CEO | George Town | RM1,000/year | N/A | 100mbps WiFi speeds, networking & entrepreneurship events |
| Bersama-Sama Co-Working Community | Seberang Perai | RM300/month | Upon Inquiry | Networking events, strong collaborative community |
##
For those interested, you can check out similar lists of co-working spaces for Johor and the Klang Valley, as well as a list of newer ones within the Klang Valley that opened within the last 2 months.
Feature Image Credit: Habitat