Editorial responsibility: Emmanuel DeGiovanni. Updated 31 October 2026.
A serviced office and a conventional lease should be compared using the same team, occupation period and operational requirements. A serviced office can be private, so “serviced versus private” is not a reliable distinction. This worksheet compares serviced packages with conventional premises, including fitted or furnished options.
Set a common basis before comparing prices
- Use the same peak attendance, meeting-room needs, access hours, location requirements and occupation horizon.
- Identify whether each quote is per desk per month, per suite per month, whole-premises rent or annual rent per square metre.
- Request inclusions, exclusions, usage allowances and applicable taxes for the exact offer.
- Separate known quotations, your estimates and unresolved items; do not record an unknown as zero.
If annual base rent is quoted per square metre, multiply the stated office area by the annual rate and divide by 12 to obtain monthly base rent. This does not include other costs. A desk package is not directly comparable until its service content and capacity are understood.
Copy the three-part budget worksheet
1. Recurring occupancy costs
Record base rent or package charge, service charges, utilities, connectivity, cleaning, parking, insurance contributions, meeting-room overage, other mandatory charges and any non-recoverable tax. Identify fixed charges, estimates and variable usage separately.
2. One-off costs and cash tied up
List setup, works, furniture, cabling, professional fees, agency fees and moving costs. Keep refundable deposits or other security in a separate cash-flow line; they are not equivalent to monthly expenditure. Record when payments are due and how security is released.
3. Commitment and exit exposure
Record the term, earliest reviewed exit route, notice, continuing payments, removal of alterations, repairs and reinstatement. A short intended stay is not a contractual right to leave. Check renewal assumptions and any cost of adjusting desk numbers or moving suites.
Illustrative calculation: price per included desk
Hypothetical inputs only: a suite quoted at €1,500 per month for five included desks has a base charge of €300 per included desk per month (€1,500 ÷ 5). This is not a current Malta quotation or a market benchmark. Add the relevant extras and taxes, and confirm whether five workstations meet the actual layout and use requirements.
A cheaper per-desk result is not necessarily better if meeting facilities, privacy, access or capacity are unsuitable. Conversely, services included in one quote should not be added again as separate costs.
Illustrative calculation: setup over a planning horizon
Hypothetical inputs only: allocating €6,000 of setup expenditure over a chosen 24-month planning horizon adds €250 per month to an internal comparison. The €6,000 still needs funding when due. This allocation is neither a contractual payment schedule nor accounting or tax advice.
Test an earlier departure as well as the intended period. Do not assume all setup expenditure can be recovered, security will be returned immediately or extra desks will be available on the same terms.
Choose on suitability as well as cost
Use the serviced-office inclusion checklist, furnished-office handover checklist and workspace-format guide to establish what each offer delivers. The agreement checklist covers responsibilities to review with your advisers.
General office rental budget guidance is context rather than a substitute for a current package quotation. Send OfficeSpace.Rent your office brief and request written costs for the viable options before deciding.
