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I have worked remotely from Colorado Springs for years. I know which cafes have fast WiFi and which ones have WiFi that barely loads email. I know which coworking spaces are worth the money and which ones you can skip. And I know what altitude does to your productivity when you first arrive.
If you are a remote worker thinking about Colorado Springs — whether for a week or permanently — here is what you need to know from someone who actually does it here.
Internet Speed: Better Than You Think
Colorado Springs has solid residential internet. Most neighborhoods can get 300-1,000 Mbps through local providers. If you are renting a furnished place for remote work, internet is not going to be your bottleneck.
For the truly adventurous: I currently work full-time from an RV on Starlink satellite internet — 250 Mbps down, 50 Mbps up — and run video calls, AI coding agents, and streaming simultaneously without issues. If satellite internet works in a field in Tennessee, wired internet in Colorado Springs is more than adequate.
Best Cafes for Remote Work
Not every cafe is built for laptop workers. Some have terrible WiFi, no outlets, or give you the stink-eye after an hour. Here are the ones that actually welcome remote workers:
Loyal Coffee
Downtown. Good WiFi, good coffee, relaxed atmosphere. They do not rush you out. A solid default when you need to get out of the house and do focused work.
Switchback Coffee Roasters
Two locations — Shooks Run Cafe and Hillside Cafe. Both are laptop-friendly with reliable WiFi. Switchback is one of the better local roasters, so the coffee is a step above the chains.
Dungeons & Javas
On Austin Bluffs Parkway. Part cafe, part coworking community. This is one of the more unique spots — they actively cater to people who want to sit and work. Board games too, if you need a break.
Carnelian Coffee
In Old Colorado City. Quiet vibes, creative atmosphere, good for focused work. Old Colorado City in general is a nice area to spend a work day — walkable, interesting, less chain-heavy than other parts of town.
Coworking Spaces Worth Considering
Epicentral Coworking
Downtown at 415 North Tejon Street. Daily, weekly, and monthly options. Meeting rooms, fast WiFi, coffee included. This is the most established coworking space in the Springs and it is well run. Good for people who need a professional meeting space or want to network.
CoHarbor
Designed specifically for remote workers. Dedicated desks, private offices, quiet zones. If you need a consistent, professional workspace and do not want to gamble on cafe WiFi, this is a solid choice.
Northgate Coworking
WiFi 7 backed by 2 Gbps fiber. If internet speed matters for your work — video production, large file transfers, cloud development — Northgate has the fastest connection in town.
The Altitude Factor for Productivity
Nobody writes about this, but altitude affects your work — at least for the first few weeks.
At 6,035 feet, there is 20% less oxygen. That means:
- Mental fatigue comes earlier in the day. If you normally hit a wall at 4 PM, expect it at 2 PM for the first week.
- Sleep may be disrupted. Poor sleep means worse focus the next day. This resolves in 2-3 days for most people.
- Headaches are common the first 48 hours. Drink twice your normal water intake. Caffeine helps, but water helps more.
- Screen time may feel harder. Dry air at altitude means dry eyes. If you already have eye strain issues, it will be worse here. Artificial tears and the 20-20-20 rule (look 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes) help.
After 2-4 weeks, your body fully acclimates and productivity returns to normal. Some people say they actually feel sharper at altitude once adjusted — more alert, better sleep quality, higher baseline energy. I do not have science to back that up, but I have 20 years of experience living it.
Cost of Living for Remote Workers
Colorado Springs is cheaper than Denver by a meaningful margin. Here are rough numbers as of 2026:
| Expense | Colorado Springs | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR apartment | $1,100-1,500 | $1,500-2,000 |
| Coworking (monthly) | $150-350 | $250-500 |
| Coffee shop lunch + coffee | $12-18 | $15-22 |
| Internet (residential) | $50-80/month | $60-90/month |
The real advantage of Colorado Springs over Denver for remote workers is not just cost — it is quality of life. Less traffic, cleaner air, immediate access to trails and mountains, and a pace of life that is noticeably calmer. If you do not need to be in Denver for in-person meetings, there is no reason to pay Denver prices.
The Outdoor Office
One of the best things about working remotely in Colorado Springs is that your lunch break can be a hike. Garden of the Gods is 15 minutes from downtown. Ute Valley Park is in the middle of the city. Red Rock Canyon is a quick drive from anywhere on the west side.
From June through September, the weather is ideal for working outside — morning temperatures in the 60s, afternoon highs in the low 80s, and 300+ days of sunshine per year. Afternoon thunderstorms roll through between 2-5 PM in summer, but they clear fast and evenings are gorgeous.
Bring your laptop to a park bench at Garden of the Gods, connect to your phone hotspot, and tell me that is not a better office than a cubicle. I will wait.
Related
If you are interested in taking remote work even further — like working from an RV on Starlink with no hookups — check out The Agentic RVer series where I document full-time boondocking with AI tools in 2026.
Springs Local Guide is written by a 20-year Colorado Springs local who works remotely and knows which spots actually work for getting things done. Explore more at springslocalguide.com.
