How much does it cost to open a gaming cafe
The budget to open a gaming cafe depends heavily on the format and the number of seats. Here are the main cost items so you can estimate a starting figure for your city and scale.
Equipment — the main item
A console with a TV and a chair costs less than a gaming PC with a monitor and peripherals. For an 8-seat console lounge, the starter hardware is noticeably more affordable than a comparable PC club.
Budget a reserve for peripheral replacement and repairs — these are recurring, not one-off, costs.
Location and renovation
Rent depends on the city and location. Renovation covers electrical work (capacity for the hardware), ventilation, lighting and acoustics. This is often underestimated — comfort keeps guests longer.
Software and till
A tracking and automation system is a small item compared to hardware, but it is exactly what protects your revenue. Cloud solutions are billed monthly per seat, with no large upfront cost.
GameClub is a fixed price per booth per month, with the first 30 days free — so you can turn on automation from day one without inflating your startup budget.
Working capital
Set aside a cushion of 2–3 months of rent and salaries: a club does not reach stable utilization instantly. You also need a starting bar inventory.
Where not to save
Do not save on internet, chairs and tracking. Cheap internet ruins online games, uncomfortable chairs shorten sessions, and the lack of tracking leads to cash leakage.
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