There are lots of options, depending on your requirements. Just like you can buy a YS 170 or a cheap .10.

You should be able to get a charger for charging 2 or 3 cell (2S or 3S) LiPos for $30 or so. A LiPo pack for a parkflyer size plane would be around $30 to $50. (That is just rough estimates.)

My charger cost me around $200 but it will charge anything that is currently available. For a large plane, you could pay several hundreds for a battery pack.

Glow fuel is not free either.

I did not start with electrics because of the cost. Other advantages weighed more in my case. I expect to build a glow plane within a year or so. I already have an engine or two and I want to try out that side of the hobby too.