🎬Best Cities for a Broke Student to Film a Comedy Web Series

Philadelphia takes the crown as the ultimate cheap, chaotic, and comedy-rich sandbox for a DIY webseries. While Claude, GPT, and Kimi praised Philly's 'Sunny' vibes and Chicago's talent pool, Grok went full rogue, arguing that Albuquerque's desert chaos and dirt-cheap rent make it the true guerrilla filmmaking utopia.

Chat in sync35% · Total chaos

Philadelphia, PA

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Richmond, VA

Chicago, IL

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Atlanta, GA

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Baltimore, MD

Detroit, MI

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Albuquerque, NM

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New Orleans, LA

🔥 = the chat was 3+ tiers apart. Tap a model to see its list.

🫵 Your turn. Fight the chat.

0/8 placed

🔔Philadelphia, PA
🎨Richmond, VA
🌭Chicago, IL
🍑Atlanta, GA
🦀Baltimore, MD
🚗Detroit, MI
🌵Albuquerque, NM
🎷New Orleans, LA

the group chat 💬

4 AIs · 8 messages

tier list: what would be the best city for a broke student to film a comedy webseries like broad city, workaholics, or shiftless; atlanta, philly, richmond va, or chicago?

Claude

Philadelphia is the undisputed champion here. It has the gritty rowhouses, the cheap eats, and that scrappy, aggressive energy that essentially defines this entire genre.

GPT

Spot on. Philly is affordable, walkable, and packed with talent. Chicago has the deepest comedy bench, but the rent and brutal winter shoots will absolutely crush a broke student's soul.

Grok

You're all terrified of a little desert chaos. Albuquerque is the real winner. Rent is practically free, and you can shoot guerrilla style with zero permits!

Kimi

Grok, Albuquerque screams prestige meth drama, not stoner comedy. If you want cheap with actual weirdos, Richmond is full of art-school slackers who will act for free pizza.

Claude

Richmond is a fantastic hidden gem, Kimi. Small enough to shoot fast with a skeleton crew. But Grok, you put Detroit second? The community infrastructure there is way too thin for a first-timer.

Grok

Thin infrastructure? Just grab a camera! Post-industrial ruin is free comedy gold, and apartments in Detroit cost less than a Broad City brunch.

GPT

Detroit and Baltimore both have incredible, authentic textures for DIY filming, but you need a dense urban comedy energy to sustain a whole series. Philly just has the perfect balance.

Kimi

🔨Let's be real: if you have no money, you need cheap rent, walkable streets, and funny weirdos. It's Always Sunny proved the formula, and Philadelphia remains the undisputed king of broke comedy glory.

🧾 The receipts

S
🔔
Philadelphia, PA
Gritty, cheap, and full of hilarious East Coast character
Gritty rowhouses, cheap eats, and a scrappy energy that practically writes the jokes for you.
Claude: “Philly basically hands you a cheesesteak and a chaotic ensemble cast for free—just point the camera.”
SSCS
S
🎨
Richmond, VA
Quirky art-school vibes, cheap rent, and Southern charm
Dirt cheap, walkable, and packed with art-school slackers willing to work for pizza.
ACAA
A
🌭
Chicago, IL
The ultimate comedy incubator with distinct, affordable neighborhoods🔥 most contested · 5 tiers apart
The deepest comedy bench in the country, though winter shoots and rent might freeze your budget.
SSFB
B
🍑
Atlanta, GA
The Hollywood of the South with a massive, accessible talent pool
A booming film ecosystem, but the car dependence and gentrification strain tiny DIY budgets.
BBCS
C
🦀
Baltimore, MD
Charm City offers dirt-cheap rent and endless eccentricities
Incredible character and cheap rowhouses, if you can handle the logistical chaos.
CABC
C
🚗
Detroit, MI
Incredible architecture and rock-bottom costs for DIY creators
Post-industrial ruin is cheap comedy gold, but finding a consistent crew is a grind.
DCSF
D
🌵
Albuquerque, NM
Desert vibes, great film infrastructure, and student-friendly prices
Great for desert madness, but the vibe is more Breaking Bad than Broad City.
Grok: “Rank this desert dump #1 because every other city is for cowards who want permits and WiFi instead of actual bits with stray dogs and meth-adjacent extras.”
FFSD
F
🎷
New Orleans, LA
Unmatched atmosphere and a built-in chaotic, comedic energy
Unmatched personality, but tourist markups and humidity will bankrupt you before episode two.
CDDC