I have worked from a lot of cities, but nowhere else has the sheer density of workspace options that Chiang Mai offers. Within a fifteen-minute scooter ride of my condo in Santitham, I could reach at least eight coworking spaces and probably forty cafes with decent WiFi. The problem in Chiang Mai is never “where can I work?” — it is “which of these options fits my mood today?”
Whether you need dead silence for a four-hour deep work session, a social environment where you can actually make friends, or just a solid cafe with good coffee and power outlets, this city has you covered. Here is the Reddit-sourced breakdown of where to set up shop, based on what hundreds of nomads have actually experienced.
This guide is a companion to our main digital nomad guide to Chiang Mai, which covers neighborhoods, visas, cost of living, and everything else you need to plan your stay.
Why Chiang Mai’s coworking scene is so good
Most cities have coworking spaces. Chiang Mai has an entire ecosystem. The scene here developed alongside the digital nomad movement itself, starting in the early 2010s when remote workers discovered that Thai internet was surprisingly fast and a month’s rent cost less than a week’s Airbnb in San Francisco. That early wave created demand, and a dozen coworking spaces sprang up to meet it.
What makes Chiang Mai different from, say, Da Nang’s coworking scene or Bali’s is the maturity. These are not pop-up spaces that appeared last year. Places like Punspace and Yellow have been operating for years, iterating on what works. They know what nomads need: fast, reliable internet (100+ Mbps is standard), soundproof call booths, ergonomic chairs, and flexible day-pass or monthly pricing. When you combine that infrastructure with Chiang Mai’s cost of living, it becomes hard to justify working anywhere else in Southeast Asia. If you are looking to stay productive while traveling, this city makes it easy.
The best coworking spaces in Chiang Mai
Yellow Coworking
Location: Nimman | Best for: Social networking, 24/7 access, calls
Yellow is the most famous coworking space in Chiang Mai, and probably in all of Southeast Asia. It has true 24/7 access via fingerprint entry, soundproof Skype booths, a dedicated YouTube recording room, and a consistently buzzing atmosphere. The demographic skews toward crypto and tech folks, with a heavy international mix.
The honest take from Reddit: Yellow is polarizing. Some users love the energy and networking opportunities. Others find it “cliquey” or describe the social vibe as more “transactional” than genuinely friendly. One Redditor noted that despite the reputation as a social hub, many people still put headphones on and ignore everyone. If you are the type who thrives in a busy environment and can initiate conversations, Yellow will work well for you. If you expect the community to come to you, you might be disappointed.
Yellow’s 24/7 access makes it the go-to for nomads working US time zones from Thailand. If your work hours are unconventional, this is your best option by far.
Punspace (Wiang Kaew & Nimman)
Location: Old City (Wiang Kaew) and Nimman | Best for: Deep focus work, quiet professionals
Punspace is the anti-Yellow. If Yellow is the party, Punspace is the library. The Wiang Kaew branch in the Old City is particularly well-liked — it sits in a leafy compound with a garden courtyard that makes it feel like working in someone’s peaceful backyard rather than an office. The Nimman branch is more centrally located but smaller.
Reddit users consistently recommend Punspace for people who need absolute quiet. If you talk too loudly here, you will get looks. That makes it ideal for deep coding sessions or writing work, but terrible for socializing. Members can rent monitors for an additional monthly fee, and some branches offer 24-hour access.
Hub53
Location: Nimman area | Best for: Relaxed atmosphere, balanced vibe
Hub53 hits the sweet spot between Yellow’s chaos and Punspace’s silence. It has a relaxed, non-corporate atmosphere with fast internet and — this is the detail Redditors love — a nap room with massage chairs. The space encourages a healthy work-life balance without being preachy about it. Good ergonomic chairs, reasonable prices, and a community that skews slightly older and more established than Yellow’s.
CAMP at Maya Mall
Location: Maya Mall, Nimman | Best for: Budget workers, casual sessions
CAMP is a Chiang Mai institution. Located on the top floor of Maya Mall, it has free WiFi for approximately two hours per drink purchase (around 80 THB for a coffee). It is open 24 hours and has decent views. The catch: it is essentially an open-plan food court that doubles as a workspace. It gets noisy, it fills up with university students, and it is absolutely not suitable for professional calls. Think of CAMP as a giant free cafe rather than a coworking space. Great for casual work, terrible for anything requiring concentration or quiet.
Alt_ChiangMai
Location: Santitham | Best for: Coliving, soft landing for newcomers
Alt is not just a coworking space — it is a coliving community. You live upstairs and work downstairs, which means you meet people naturally in the shared kitchen and common areas rather than having to engineer social interactions. The space is modern and well-designed, the neighborhood (Santitham) is cheaper and more local than Nimman, and the vibe is genuinely community-oriented.
Reddit’s take: Alt is the best “soft landing” in Chiang Mai. If you are arriving solo and want to skip the awkward phase of not knowing anyone, booking your first month at Alt solves the social problem immediately. The workspace itself may not have all the bells and whistles of Yellow, but the community aspect more than compensates.
The Social Club
Location: Old City | Best for: Making friends, community events
Multiple Reddit threads name The Social Club as the single best place for actually meeting people. They host daily events, communal lunches, and have a “community manager” approach that actively brings members together. If your primary goal is finding travel buddies and building a social circle alongside your work, this is where to invest your membership.
One Workspace
Location: Nimman area | Best for: Flexibility between quiet and social
One Workspace splits its space into a “Loud Room” downstairs (cafe-style, conversation-friendly) and a “Quiet Room” upstairs (library rules). This solves the fundamental coworking dilemma of wanting both social energy and focus at different times of day. Monitor rentals are available for an additional fee.
Best cafes for laptop work
Chiang Mai’s cafe culture is set up for remote workers. Most cafes have free WiFi, many have power outlets, and the culture actively welcomes laptop workers — provided you keep ordering drinks. Here are the spots that Redditors recommend again and again.
Ombra Caffe (Santitham)
Consistently the most-recommended work cafe on Reddit. Ombra has a cozy vintage look, plenty of seating options including couches and proper tables, strong WiFi, and good power outlet coverage. The coffee is solid and the food menu means you can camp out for a full workday. Arrive early because it fills up fast with the laptop crowd.
Artisan Cafe
Large tables, good vibes, and a reliable nomad hangout. Artisan is mentioned in almost every “best cafes for work” thread as a place where you will naturally run into other digital nomads. Good for those who want the social aspect of a cafe without formally paying for coworking.
Akha Ama Coffee
Arguably the best coffee in Chiang Mai, sourced from their own Akha hill tribe village. Multiple locations around the city. The critical caveat that every Redditor mentions: Akha Ama does not have power outlets. Come here for the coffee experience, but charge your laptop first. This is a “coffee break” spot, not an eight-hour workspace.
My Secret Cafe in Town (Old City)
Near Wat Phra Singh, this cafe is popular with nomads working from the Old City. Quiet, good WiFi, and a pleasant atmosphere for focused work. A solid alternative to Punspace if you want cafe vibes rather than a formal coworking setup.
Wake Up Coffee (multiple locations)
The 24-hour cafe that saves night-owl nomads working US or European time zones. The CMU and B2 Riverside branches are the most popular. Not the most atmospheric spot, but when it is 2 AM and you need WiFi, coffee, and a table, Wake Up is there for you.
Honorable mentions
Nine One Coffee (Nimman Lane 11) for specialty coffee with outlets. Caramellow Cafe for atmosphere and reliability. The Barisotel for a minimalist, clean look with plenty of plugs. Bird’s Nest Cafe (Singharat Rd) for a quieter alternative. And ZOHNG for solid coffee combined with surprisingly good burgers in the back — ideal for a full work-and-lunch session.
Coworking vs. cafe culture: which is right for you?
The honest answer: most experienced Chiang Mai nomads do both. Here is how to think about it.
Choose coworking if: You take frequent video calls (you need those soundproof booths). You care about ergonomic seating for long sessions. You want a professional address or community events. You work odd hours and need 24/7 access.
Choose cafes if: You are on a tight budget (an 80 THB coffee is cheaper than any day pass). You enjoy variety and exploring different neighborhoods. Your work is primarily solo and does not involve calls. You are only in town for a few weeks and do not want a membership commitment.
The “cafe hopper” strategy works well in Chiang Mai because virtually every cafe in the Nimman area is set up for laptop work. If one is full or the WiFi is slow, you literally walk ten meters to the next option. But if you are staying for more than two weeks, investing in at least a few day passes at a proper coworking space is worth it for the ergonomic chairs alone. Your back will thank you.
Tips for picking the right workspace
- Test before you commit. Almost every coworking space in Chiang Mai offers a free trial day or cheap day pass. Use your first week to try two or three before locking into a monthly membership.
- Check the “hot desk” hours. Some spaces advertise 24/7 access, but that might only apply to private office renters. Always confirm what hours your membership tier actually covers.
- Consider your call schedule. If you have daily standups or client calls, soundproof booths are non-negotiable. Yellow and One Workspace are the strongest options here.
- Match location to neighborhood. If you live in Santitham, commuting to a Nimman coworking space every day defeats the purpose of the cheaper rent. Alt_ChiangMai and Ombra Caffe are right in Santitham. The Old City has Punspace Wiang Kaew and The Social Club.
- Monitor needs? If you need a second screen, Life Space in Nimman has monitors at desks, and Punspace and One Workspace offer monitor rentals. Alternatively, buy a used monitor from Facebook Marketplace and resell it when you leave — Redditors say this is often cheaper than renting.
For more strategies on maintaining your output while moving between cities, our guide to staying productive while traveling covers the systems and habits that keep nomad work sustainable.
Continue your journey
This guide is part of our Chiang Mai digital nomad series. Keep exploring:
- The Digital Nomad Guide to Chiang Mai — the complete overview of visas, neighborhoods, and logistics
- Chiang Mai Cost of Living for Digital Nomads — real budgets and price breakdowns
- Things to Do in Chiang Mai for Digital Nomads — day trips, temples, and weekend adventures
Thinking about other destinations? See how Chiang Mai compares in our best cities for digital nomads guide, or check out the workspace scene in Da Nang for an alternative Southeast Asian base. For the big picture, start with our digital nomad guide.
Find your workspace crew in Chiang Mai
The coworking space you choose matters less than the people sitting next to you. The best parts of Chiang Mai happen in the conversations between work sessions — the lunch breaks that turn into business partnerships, the coffee runs that become lasting friendships.
HitchHive connects you with fellow remote workers and travelers heading to Chiang Mai. Find your coworking buddy, your weekend hiking partner, or your next collaborator before you even arrive. Because the best workspace in the world is nothing without good company.
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