How East Asia’s internet cafes became a cheap urban refuge

An informal safety net, these cafes offer gig workers and those between jobs crucial breathing space

Across mainland China, some now offer reclining chairs, private booths, showers, washing machines and inexpensive meals. In Hong Kong, mainland chains are opening branches that market overnight packages to travellers looking for an affordable alternative to expensive hotels. The internet cafe is no longer simply a place to browse the web.

One mainland story captures that transformation. Earlier this year, an internet cafe charging just 0.6 yuan (9 US cents) an hour attracted widespread attention online. Customers could spend an entire day inside for only 14.4 yuan. Combined with inexpensive meals, it offered one of the cheapest ways to maintain a foothold in a Chinese city.

While restaurants, retailers and property developers continue to grapple with China’s economic slowdown, internet cafes have quietly staged an unlikely comeback. According to the Internet Access Service Association of China, their numbers rose by 12.7 per cent to 122,600 last year, while industry revenue exceeded 101.7 billion yuan.