Melbourne Office Space and Office Leasing: How to Find an Office (2026)

Looking for office space in Melbourne, or an office to lease? Melbourne offices come three ways: a serviced or coworking office you can move into this week, a managed floor fitted out for your team, or a conventional office lease in the CBD, Southbank, Docklands or the inner suburbs. See every Melbourne office on SquareFoot with its asking price, then read on for who to call, who pays and how long each route takes.

There are three ways into an office in Melbourne, and they take anywhere from a week to half a year. A flexible office is a fitted room on a short licence with one monthly fee. A managed office is a whole floor an operator fits out for you on a one-to-three-year agreement. A conventional lease is the long route: your own fit-out, your own contract, and a term measured in years. Which one fits depends on headcount, how long you are committing for and whether you have an entity in the country yet. This guide covers who the players are, who pays, and what each route involves. Melbourne’s flexible market is the most diverse in Australia: the global chains in the CBD towers, Australian-born operators (Hub Australia, The Commons, WOTSO) in heritage buildings, and a strong independent coworking scene (Inspire9, United Co.) in Richmond, Cremorne and Collingwood. Office Hub dominates online search and the AI answers for the city.

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Who you will deal with

Operators own or run the flexible buildings and sell desks and offices direct: Hub Australia, JustCo, WeWork, IWG (Regus, Spaces), Servcorp, The Commons, Space&Co (Dexus), Christie Spaces, The Executive Centre, WOTSO, Inspire9, United Co.. Flex brokers and marketplaces list several operators in one place: Office Hub, Rubberdesk, Instant Offices, and SquareFoot. Leasing agents and tenant representatives handle conventional space: JLL, CBRE, Colliers, Knight Frank, Cushman & Wakefield. Most Melbourne operators quote on enquiry rather than publishing a price; SquareFoot shows the published ones and asks the operator for the rest.

Who pays

• Flexible space: the operator pays the introducer when a tenant signs; the tenant pays nothing and the rate is the same as going direct.
• Leases: the landlord pays the leasing agent. A tenant representative for a larger requirement is paid by the tenant, usually as a share of the savings negotiated or a fixed fee.

The three ways in, and how long each takes

What to have ready

• A foreign company can take flexible space with company documents and ID; longer managed-office terms may need an Australian entity or a guarantee.
• To trade in Australia a foreign company either registers as a foreign company with ASIC or incorporates an Australian proprietary company, which needs at least one director who ordinarily resides in Australia and a registered office address. Directors need a Director ID. Virtual-office products from the operators cover the registered address.

How SquareFoot fits in

SquareFoot is a marketplace, not a broker in Melbourne. It lists the operators’ published centres and prices in one place, lets you shortlist and ask for a tour, and hands the request to the operator or a local partner who confirms availability and the exact price. The tenant pays nothing; the operator pays the introducer when a contract is signed. Flexible space is quoted per desk per month; conventional leases are quoted per square metre per year. Both are before GST at 10%.

SquareFoot lists 12 flexible office centres in Melbourne from 3 operators, collected October 2026 from the operators’ own published pages. Guide written by SquareFoot; last reviewed October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get an office in Melbourne?

Flexible office: One to three weeks. Managed or enterprise suite: Six to twelve weeks for a self-contained suite or floor fitted by the operator on a one-to-three-year term. Conventional lease: Three to six months: heads of agreement, lease negotiation, a fit-out that you fund (often partly with a landlord incentive), and a three-to-five-year term.

Do I pay a broker to find an office in Melbourne?

Flexible space: the operator pays the introducer when a tenant signs; the tenant pays nothing and the rate is the same as going direct.

How does office leasing work in Melbourne?

There are three routes. A serviced or coworking office is leased month-to-month or for up to twelve months, furnished, and can be signed within days; the median desk in Melbourne is A$600 a month. A managed office is fitted out to your brief on a one- to three-year term. A conventional office lease in the CBD, Southbank or Docklands usually runs three to five years, plus outgoings and a fit-out. See every Melbourne office with its price.

Where are most offices in Melbourne?

Most Melbourne offices are in the CBD (Collins Street and the Paris end for prestige, the western core for value), then Southbank, Docklands, and inner suburbs such as Richmond, Cremorne, Collingwood and South Melbourne, where creative and tech companies cluster.

Do I need an Australian company to rent an office in Melbourne?

Not for flexible space. To trade, a foreign company registers with ASIC or incorporates locally, which requires an Australian-resident director and a registered office. An ABN is needed to invoice and to register for GST.

Related: Flexible office vs lease in Melbourne · Where to put an office in Melbourne · Live listings in Melbourne · Office space abroad: all cities

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