Sorry but if you are willing to buy your own rating then I'd say you only deserve what you get.
Don't want to get "ripped off" then don't buy one ! A philosophy which worked just fine for me hence a very uncompromising one
More on the financial side though, workforce (therefore income) is cheaper in many other countries than European ones.
This also applies to land (such as the one needed to build a sim centre) and more.
So clearly, it is probably normal that Aussies/Kiwis type ratings are cheaper than Euro ones.
I am bonded for £15k for a type rating that cost the company many thousands
It seems like there is no relation between the type of aircraft you get rated on and the bond you are one.
For example I was bonded on a Cessna Caravan for £7500 and I am now bonded for £15000 on the 757.
If you go by weight, passengers number, A/C price tag or whatever else the 208 should have been, logically, 50 times cheaper.
Of course it doesn'y work like that maybe because of the following.
Ground Instructors cost money (fairly similar prices between a 208 instructor and 75)
A sim remains a sim.... A very expensive piece of kit with plenty of maintenance to be assured.
Flight/Sim Instructors again are professional who want to make a decent living.
Probably not quite the only reasons why prices are so close but perhaps the beginning of an exponation.