Opening a London Office: A Guide for US Companies (2026)
What a US company pays for a London office in pounds and dollars (median £475, about $630 per desk a month), the contracts, timing, VAT and entity questions, step by step.
Looking for small office space to rent in London? A small private office in London costs a median of £500 per desk a month in November 2026, so about £1,000 a month for two people and £2,000 for four, all-in. That is across 499 priced centres on SquareFoot that let an office for one to four people, from 624 such centres, using the operators’ own asking prices. The cheapest districts with enough offices to compare are Stratford (£299 a desk), Hackney (£300) and Chiswick (£350).
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New York127 West 30th Street$430/desk/moView this space →Los Angeles1150 South Olive Street - WeWork$310/desk/moView this space →Miami6303 Blue Lagoon Drive$329/desk/moView this space →
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What a small office costs (November 2026)
| Headcount | Lower quarter (£389/desk) | Median (£500/desk) | Upper quarter (£680/desk) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | £389 | £500 | £680 |
| 2 people | £778 | £1,000 | £1,360 |
| 3 people | £1,167 | £1,500 | £2,040 |
| 4 people | £1,556 | £2,000 | £2,720 |
Most operators add VAT on top; one office in ten that size lists under £280 a desk. Small buildings are cheaper per desk here: at centres whose largest office is ten desks or fewer, the median is £450 (88 priced); the figure above includes big flagship buildings that also let two-person rooms.
Cheapest and dearest districts for a small office
Median per desk at centres with offices for one to four people, districts with five or more priced, cheapest to dearest: Stratford £299, Hackney £300, Chiswick £350, Islington £350, Camden £373, Hammersmith £375, Fulham £397, Canary Wharf £400, Aldgate £449, Notting Hill £450, Farringdon £450, Vauxhall £451, Chelsea £467, Paddington £479, Chancery Lane £499, Kensington £500, Shoreditch £500, Southwark £500, Blackfriars £500, Victoria £529, Holborn £535, Waterloo £550, Moorgate £550, Bloomsbury £550, Bank £550, Clerkenwell £580, Old Street £583, London Bridge £589, Fitzrovia £600, Covent Garden £600, City £620, Liverpool Street £630, Monument £630, Cannon Street £680, Marylebone £682, Soho £778, Mayfair £800, Kings Cross £810.
A two-person office costs about £598 a month in Stratford and £1,620 in Kings Cross at the median.
Operators with small private offices
| Operator | London centres letting an office for 1 to 4 |
|---|---|
| Fora | 50 |
| Workspace | 29 |
| WeWork | 27 |
| Regus | 21 |
| Elementa Workspace | 20 |
| The Boutique Workplace Company | 20 |
| Argyll | 19 |
| Spaces | 15 |
| Canvas | 12 |
| Beaumont | 10 |
| Runway East | 9 |
| Etc Venues Convene | 8 |
177 recognised operators in all; another 59 centres at this size are listed by agents or landlords and quoted on enquiry.
Small office, coworking desk or virtual office?
- Coworking desk: cheapest, no door; fine for one or two people who rarely take calls. See the best coworking spaces in London for small teams.
- Small private office: a lockable room in the same buildings, usually priced a little above a dedicated desk; better for calls, client data and anyone working five days a week.
- Virtual office: a registered address and mail only, for a company that needs an address but no desk.
Terms: one to twelve months, rolling monthly after, deposit of one to two months; move in within a week of a viewing.
How SquareFoot helps
Shortlist on the market page or tell us the headcount and district. Our local team in London confirms which suites are actually free, at what price, books the viewings and negotiates the term. Free for the tenant: the operator pays.
Counts and prices are from SquareFoot’s live listings for London as of November 2026: 2325 listings, 872 with a published asking price, collected from the operators’ and landlords’ own pages. Prices are per desk per month for serviced and flexible space unless stated. Written by SquareFoot; reviewed November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a small office in London?
A median of £500 per desk a month in November 2026, so about £1,000 for two people and £2,000 for four, all-in; the middle half of the market runs £389 to £680 per desk.
Where is the cheapest small office space in London?
Among districts with five or more priced small offices: Stratford (£299 a desk), Hackney (£300) and Chiswick (£350).
Can I rent a small office in London month to month?
Yes. Most serviced and coworking operators let small offices on licences of one to twelve months that roll monthly after the first term, usually with one to three months’ notice.
What is included in a small office price?
Furniture, internet, utilities, cleaning, reception and a meeting-room allowance, and in most UK centres business rates and service charge. VAT, extra meeting hours and printing are usually extra.
Related: WeWork alternatives in London · How much office space costs in London · Short-term office space in London · Best coworking spaces in London for small teams · Office space for 10 to 20 people in London · London office desk prices, November 2026 · London Office Space Price Index · How to find office space in London · Flexible office vs lease in London · Where to put an office in London · Every London listing with prices · Workspace in London · Fora in London · Argyll in London · Fitzrovia offices · Shoreditch offices · Mayfair offices
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