Chuy · 87 km · 2.0 hKol-Tor Lake
Turquoise lake under peaks: alpine lake surrounded by spruce slopes
- Film in Kyrgyzstan
- Canada vs Kyrgyzstan
03Canada vs KyrgyzstanUpdated: 2026-10-20
Canada or Kyrgyzstan: where to film turquoise lakes, glaciers and spruce forests?
A 12-hour shooting day with a crew of 13 and a standard ARRI Alexa Mini LF package costs about $10,600 in Canada (union rates in British Columbia and Ontario) and $2,600 in Kyrgyzstan, 4.1 times less (October 2026). Canada answers with large tax credits, a deep crew base and a Hollywood time zone. Kyrgyzstan answers with turquoise lakes, glaciers and spruce gorges that can be filmed in summer, when Banff, Kootenay and Yoho national parks do not accept commercial film applications.
The short answer
The Canadian Rockies look is turquoise glacial lakes under limestone peaks, spruce forest and roads through high valleys. Banff, Kootenay and Yoho national parks do not accept applications for commercial film projects from 1 June to 30 September, which covers Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake and Bow Lake; outside that period every film permit is requested at least 20 business days ahead.
In Kyrgyzstan the same palette is open in summer: Kol-Tor and Ala-Kul lakes, the glaciers of Ala-Archa 40 km from Bishkek, and the spruce valleys around Karakol and Chon-Kemin. A crew of 13 costs $1,500 a day against $8,400 in Canada.
Banff National Park, Kootenay National Park, and Yoho National Park will not be accepting applications for commercial film projects during the period of June 1 to September 30.
The Production Services Tax Credit (PSTC) basic rate increased from 28% to 36% for productions that start principal photography after December 31, 2024.
Canada vs Kyrgyzstan: costs
| Canada | Kyrgyzstan | |
|---|---|---|
| Shooting day (crew of 13 + standard package) | $10,600 | $2,600 |
| Crew of 13, 12-hour day | $8,400 | $1,500 |
| Standard equipment package, per day | $2,200 | $1,100 |
| Director, day | $1,930 | $230 |
| DoP, day | $1,010 | $170 |
| Gaffer, day | $410 | $170 |
| Focus puller, day | $510 | $60 |
| Sound, day | $510 | $110 |
USD, October 2026, rates without employer taxes. Source and method: How much does a shooting day cost in 18 countries?
Landscapes Kyrgyzstan can stand in for
Chuy · 87 km · 2.0 h
Issyk-Kul · 407 km · 6.6 hAla-Kul Lake
Glacial lake above the tree line: turquoise lake at about 3,500 m
Chuy · 39 km · 0.9 hAla-Archa Gorge
Glaciers above a valley: glaciers and peaks up to 4,800 m near Bishkek
Issyk-Kul · 407 km · 6.6 hKarakol
Spruce forest and fast river: spruce forest and meadows above Karakol
Jalal-Abad · 535 km · 11.1 hSary-Chelek
Deep mountain lake in a reserve: up to 244 m deep, framed by steep forested slopes
Chuy · 122 km · 2.1 hToo-Ashuu Pass
Mountain highway pass: 3,400 m pass on the Bishkek-Osh highway
When Canada is the better choice
- Tax credits: the federal production services credit is 16% of qualified Canadian labour, and British Columbia adds 36% of B.C. labour, with regional and distant location bonuses of 6% each; Alberta pays 22-30% and Ontario 21.5%.
- A deep crew and studio base: Ontario alone lists more than 9,000 crew members and about 3.7 million sq ft of soundstages with 9 LED volume stages.
- The Icefields Parkway: 232 km of highway from Lake Louise to Jasper past Bow and Peyto lakes and glaciers.
- Pacific coast and temperate rainforest in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve; Kyrgyzstan is landlocked.
- British Columbia shares the Pacific time zone with Los Angeles, and Toronto has 7 direct flights a day to LAX.
Getting there and working there
There are no direct flights from North America or the EU to Bishkek; crews connect through Istanbul (about 5 h 10 min to Bishkek) or Dubai (about 4 h 45 min). Canadian citizens enter Kyrgyzstan visa-free for 30 days in every 60-day period, as do citizens of the USA, the UK and the EU.
For large productions the Canadian credits can outweigh part of the rate difference, so the comparison works best for shoots where the Canadian Rockies would be a location block rather than the production base. Kyrgyzstan is not part of the ATA Carnet system, so crews usually rent the camera, lenses and lighting in Bishkek.
Compare further
Iceland · ×4.6Iceland or Kyrgyzstan: where is it cheaper to film glaciers, highland lakes and waterfalls?Shooting day $11,900 vs $2,600→Switzerland · ×6.5Switzerland or Kyrgyzstan: where can you film an Alpine look for less?Shooting day $17,000 vs $2,600→Norway · ×3.9Norway or Kyrgyzstan: which is better for mountain plateaus, glaciers and deep lakes?Shooting day $10,200 vs $2,600→Turkey · ×3.8Turkey or Kyrgyzstan: where is it cheaper to film canyons, steppe and the Silk Road?Shooting day $10,000 vs $2,600→Patagonia · ×2.1Patagonia or Kyrgyzstan: where to film granite walls, glacier lakes and empty steppe?Shooting day $5,400 vs $2,600→18 countriesHow much does a shooting day cost in 18 countries?→GuideWhat can Kyrgyzstan double for on screen?→GuideWhere can you film a Tibet or Himalaya look?→GuideFilming in Central Asia: which country for which shot?→GuideWhere to film the Silk Road in Kyrgyzstan→
Kyrgyzstan or another country: where should you film?→Sources
- CAVCO: Production Services Tax Credit (2026-08-04)
- Creative BC: Production Services Tax Credit (2026)
- Alberta Film and Television Tax Credit (2026-05-14)
- Ontario Creates: Producer Guide 2026 (2026-05)
- Parks Canada: filming in Banff National Park (2026-09-16)
- Parks Canada: Icefields Parkway (2026-08-06)
- Government of Canada: travel advice for Kyrgyzstan (2026-08-17)
- Kyrgyz Republic: visa-free entry, Resolution No. 855 (2025-12-31)
Frequently asked questions
01Is Kyrgyzstan cheaper than Canada for filming?
Before tax credits, yes: about $2,600 for a 12-hour day with a crew of 13 and a standard package against $10,600 in Canada (October 2026). Canadian credits of 16% federal plus provincial credits on labour reduce the Canadian cost for qualifying productions.
02Can you film at Lake Louise or Moraine Lake in summer?
No: Banff, Kootenay and Yoho national parks do not accept applications for commercial film projects from 1 June to 30 September; in the rest of the year a film permit is requested at least 20 business days ahead.
03Where in Kyrgyzstan looks like the Canadian Rockies?
Kol-Tor and Ala-Kul lakes, Ala-Archa gorge with its glaciers, Sary-Chelek lake and the spruce valleys around Karakol.
Didn’t find the right location?
We can run a location scout specifically for your script.
Updated: 2026-10-20