Budapest is one of the top 3 cities of Europe for filming

Budapest has once again confirmed its status as one of Europe’s most attractive filming destinations, after being ranked third in a new industry-focused list of the continent’s top 20 cities worth filming in.

Budapest is in the top 3 European cities for movies

The ranking was unveiled by ScoutAround, a platform designed to help international film and commercial productions identify the most production-ready locations across Europe.

According to the newly published list, Budapest achieved an overall score of 86 out of 100, placing it just behind London and Berlin. The Hungarian capital is classified as a Tier 1, incentive-driven city, highlighting its strong combination of professional infrastructure, diverse locations and favourable financial conditions for filmmakers.

This list was made mostly for professionals

Unlike traditional popularity-based lists, ScoutAround’s ranking was developed as a practical decision-making tool for producers and location managers. Each city was evaluated using a transparent framework of 12 professional criteria, including production costs, location diversity, filming regulations, climate, local production capacity and overall ease of working.

The data was sourced from official film commissions, government databases and established industry publications, and then verified through interviews with local film professionals.

Budapest is more and more popular in the world of cinema

Budapest’s high position reflects the city’s long-standing reputation within the international film industry. Over the past two decades, the Hungarian capital has become a popular stand-in for cities such as Paris, Berlin, Moscow and even New York, thanks to its varied architecture, historic streets and adaptable urban environments.

From grand neoclassical boulevards and Austro-Hungarian palaces to post-industrial districts and modern developments, Budapest offers filmmakers a remarkable visual range within a compact area.

Another key factor behind Budapest’s success is Hungary’s generous film tax incentive system, which continues to attract major international productions. Combined with competitive production costs, experienced local crews and well-equipped studios, the city offers a cost-efficient yet high-quality alternative to Western European capitals.

The CEO shares how their ranking works

ScoutAround CEO Gabriel Georgiev explained that the ranking was created to address a common industry problem: the lack of clear, comparable information when choosing filming locations.

“Europe has no shortage of incredible places to film,” he noted, “but the information producers need is often fragmented and difficult to compare. This ranking brings clarity to that process and helps cities like Budapest showcase what they can really offer.”

The top of the list is led by London with 92 points, followed by Berlin with 88. Prague ranked fourth, while Paris, Madrid and Barcelona also featured in the top ten, and Central and Eastern European cities performed particularly well overall.