‘Expensive’ BGC pushes startups to find cheaper, more flexible office spaces

Startups may still need physical offices, but rising costs are pushing some young companies to look beyond major business districts.

That is the market being targeted by Common Ground, in collaboration with Megaworld Corporation, through Digital Park, a new coworking space in McKinley Hill in Taguig.

“We have investors from startups who are exploring BGC but found BGC to be too expensive, so now, they have a potential solution here,” Common Ground Country Manager Roegan Taron told radar Business.

The workspace measures 1,800 square meters and has 430 seats. It offers hot desks starting at ₱5,000 a month, fixed desks at ₱12,000, and private offices from ₱16,000 per seat—rates within or below typical Metro Manila coworking prices.

Typical rates generally range from ₱5,000 to ₱8,000 for hot desks, ₱9,000 to ₱15,000 for dedicated desks, and ₱20,000 to ₱60,000 or more for private offices, depending on the provider and location.

The difference is more pronounced in BGC, where WeWork currently lists coworking memberships from ₱11,000 a month, while private offices range from ₱42,000 to ₱64,000 monthly for two to four people.

Despite its lower rates, the McKinley Hill site offers meeting rooms, 24/7 member access, business addresses, mail handling, and access to other Common Ground locations.

The pricing comes as flexible workspaces continue to grow alongside hybrid work, with Manila seeing flexible workspace demand rise 51% in 2025, according to workspace advisory firm The Instant Group.

Common Ground is also planning startup-focused events and connections with its wider Asia-Pacific network, allowing members to meet investors, partners, and talent beyond the country.

The McKinley Hill site is expected to be the first of several Digital Parks planned across Megaworld townships. Similar developments would be rolled out in Eastwood City in Quezon City, Iloilo Business Park, Southwoods City in Biñan, Laguna, and Capital Town in San Fernando, Pampanga.

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