Grob,
There is a Huey coming to the UK in the first part of the new year...it will not be used for public transport but will be on the Airshow circuit.
As to operating costs....lots of variables...in the USA...if the aircraft is a "commerical" built Standard Catagory aircraft the cost figures are much different than if the aircraft is a "military" built airframe being operated on a "Restricted" catagory. The differences in the catagory has a major effect upon the kinds of work the aircraft can do. Throw in the Public Use catagory (government operated aircraft) and the ex-military aircraft operating costs can vary yet again due to the regulations pertaining to the maintenance shedule that applies for the three different catagory of operation.
What should be a fairly straight forward question becomes complicated quickly when we look at the different catagory aircraft. Sources of parts, maintenance schedules, AD compliance, hull value of the airframe, acquisition costs of the airframe, residual value at time of sale at the end of ownership, insurance costs...all vary greatly.
A Commercial 205 can be had for about 2.5 Million USD....a surplus UH-1H....maybe 500,000 USD (depending upon condition, hours, logbooks, etc.) Parts costs...Bell has never been known to give away parts...and the surplus parts vary in price mainly due to availablility in the market. If you can perform overhauls at your own facility....costs are much cheaper for the surplus parts.