Issyk-Kul · 307 km · 4.7 hSkazka Canyon
Eroded rock maze: red clay and sandstone formations by Issyk-Kul
- Film in Kyrgyzstan
- Turkey vs Kyrgyzstan
03Turkey vs KyrgyzstanUpdated: 2026-10-20
Turkey or Kyrgyzstan: where is it cheaper to film canyons, steppe and the Silk Road?
A 12-hour shooting day with a crew of 13 and a standard ARRI Alexa Mini LF package costs about $10,000 in Turkey and $2,600 in Kyrgyzstan, 3.8 times less (October 2026). Bishkek is about 5 hours from Istanbul by direct flight. Kyrgyzstan cannot give Cappadocia's cave towns, Istanbul or the Mediterranean coast; it gives red clay canyons, high pastures with yurts and Silk Road caravanserais.
The short answer
Turkey and Kyrgyzstan share more than a language family: both have eroded rock landscapes, high summer pastures and Silk Road heritage. In Kyrgyzstan the Skazka and Konorchek canyons give red clay and sandstone towers, Son-Kul and Suusamyr give herders' camps and horses, and Tash-Rabat is a stone caravanserai above 3,200 m.
Turkey has a large production industry, a cash rebate of up to 30% for foreign projects through a Turkish partner, and settings no other country has: Cappadocia's fairy chimneys and rock-cut churches, Istanbul and about 1,000 km of Mediterranean and Aegean coast. Where the script needs landscape rather than these landmarks, a crew of 13 costs $1,500 a day in Kyrgyzstan against $6,800 in Turkey.
Turkey vs Kyrgyzstan: costs
| Turkey | Kyrgyzstan | |
|---|---|---|
| Shooting day (crew of 13 + standard package) | $10,000 | $2,600 |
| Crew of 13, 12-hour day | $6,800 | $1,500 |
| Standard equipment package, per day | $3,200 | $1,100 |
| DoP, day | $1,550 | $170 |
| Gaffer, day | $440 | $170 |
| Focus puller, day | $340 | $60 |
| Sound, day | $140 | $110 |
| Line producer, day | $730 | $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
Issyk-Kul · 307 km · 4.7 h
Chuy · 144 km · 2.2 hKonorchek Canyons
Sandstone towers and columns: red canyons reached along a dry riverbed
Chuy · 162 km · 2.4 hKok-Moynok Canyons
Coloured badlands: red, ochre and grey clay in Boom Gorge
Naryn · 296 km · 4.9 hSon-Kul Lake
Highland pastures with tents: yurts of herders around a plateau lake in summer
Naryn · 435 km · 6.5 hTash-Rabat Caravanserai
Silk Road caravanserai: stone caravanserai of 31 rooms above 3,200 m
Chuy · 87 km · 1.4 hBurana Tower
Medieval minaret: 11th-century tower of the Karakhanid capital
When Turkey is the better choice
- Cappadocia: fairy chimneys, rock-cut churches, underground cities and hot-air balloons (Göreme, UNESCO).
- About 1,000 km of Mediterranean and Aegean coast with beaches and ancient ruins such as Ephesus.
- Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace and the Bosphorus.
- A large production industry: Turkish drama exports passed USD 1 billion, and 223 foreign productions filmed in Turkey in 2022.
- A cash rebate of up to 30% for foreign productions, applied for by a Turkish partner after a points test.
Getting there and working there
Istanbul is the shortest bridge to Kyrgyzstan: Turkish Airlines and Pegasus fly direct to Bishkek in about 5 h 10 min. Turkish citizens enter Kyrgyzstan visa-free for 90 days in every 180-day period; citizens of the EU, the UK and the USA for 30 days in every 60.
A crew already working in Turkey can add a Kyrgyz block to the same schedule: canyon locations are 2-5 hours from Bishkek, Son-Kul about 5 hours and open roughly June to September. Kyrgyzstan is not part of the ATA Carnet system, so bringing a full camera package means a separate temporary import procedure. Most crews rent the camera, lenses, lighting and grip in Bishkek and bring only personal kit.
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→Patagonia · ×2.1Patagonia or Kyrgyzstan: where to film granite walls, glacier lakes and empty steppe?Shooting day $5,400 vs $2,600→Canada · ×4.1Canada or Kyrgyzstan: where to film turquoise lakes, glaciers and spruce forests?Shooting day $10,600 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
Frequently asked questions
01Is filming in Kyrgyzstan cheaper than in Turkey?
Yes: about $2,600 for a 12-hour day with a crew of 13 and a standard package in Kyrgyzstan against $10,000 in Turkey (October 2026), 3.8 times less.
02Where in Kyrgyzstan looks like Cappadocia?
Skazka canyon on the south shore of Issyk-Kul and the Konorchek and Kok-Moynok canyons in Boom Gorge have eroded red rock towers; there are no rock-cut cave towns.
03How do you get from Istanbul to Bishkek?
Direct flights by Turkish Airlines and Pegasus take about 5 h 10 min; Turkish citizens need no visa for stays up to 90 days in 180.
Didn’t find the right location?
We can run a location scout specifically for your script.
Updated: 2026-10-20