I fly the Ford Escort (Slow Stick). It flys as advertised. It's fun for what it is when the wind isn't blowing. For the most part, since I've started flying 2 - 3 months ago, that means flying in the early morning or in the evening as the sun is starting to set.

If you fly a small electric, the costs may be less, but I don't thing it is much less. All I know is I spent around $400 CAD getting my Slow Stick in the air (kit, ESC, small servos, mini RX, batteries, charger....).

Start with the type of power you want to be using and get some help if there is a chance it will break into tiny pieces when it hits the ground.