What does a serviced office cost?

UK cities

The UK median is £498 per desk per month in Tally Workspace's Q2 2026 index. Bristol (£411) and Manchester (£400) are the most expensive regional cities in that index, while Cardiff, Newcastle and Liverpool are among the most affordable.

London: the short answer

Recent published medians put a London serviced or managed desk at around £610 to £650 per month before VAT: £610 in Rubberdesk's Q4 2025 report and £648 in Tally Workspace's Q2 2026 index. Prime West End areas cost far more, with Mayfair close to £1,000 per desk, while Canary Wharf and the fringes can come in well under the median.

So a 10 desk serviced office at the London median would cost roughly £6,100 to £6,500 a month before VAT. Area, building quality, term length and the number of desks all move that figure.

London prices by area

Sources use different methods (medians against averages, asking against achieved prices) and different dates, so treat the figures as ranges and compare like with like.

What the monthly fee includes

A serviced office fee normally bundles rent, business rates, utilities, internet, cleaning, furniture and reception. Meeting rooms, printing, phone lines, parking and IT extras are often charged separately, so always ask for a sample monthly invoice for a team your size rather than relying on the desk rate.

VAT and deposits

Most serviced office fees attract VAT at the standard rate, because HMRC treats space supplied with services as a standard rated supply. Deposits are usually one to two months of the monthly fee.

Serviced against managed

Managed offices cost more per desk. Published London data puts the managed median at £805 per desk against £575 for serviced, about 40% more, in exchange for your own self-contained, branded space.

How to get the best price

Longer terms usually earn lower desk rates, so decide early whether 12, 24 or 36 months suits you. Compare the all-in cost, not the headline rate. And get every quote on the same basis. That comparison is the job we do for you, free.

Last updated 2 October 2026. Sources: Tally Workspace, UK Flexible Office Price Index Q2 2026; Rubberdesk, How much does it cost to rent office space in the UK (September 2026 data); Rubberdesk, London Flexible Office Market Report Q4 2025; Rubberdesk, Central London office space price guide (checked October 2026); Rubberdesk, City of London office space price guide (checked October 2026); LondonOffices.com, London Office Cost and Price Index 2026 (Q2 2026 data); Allwork.Space, Managed offices now cost 40% more than serviced space in London (Feb 2026); HMRC, VAT Land and Property manual VATLP06130; London & Partners, Setting up your office in London; Wezoo, How do serviced offices work (Sept 2026)