Don't discount the UK.
I bought a share in an aircraft at the local field, it cost about £35 per hour to fly and £35 a month. After three years I sold the share on for what I paid for it and a little bit more.
It had excellent availability - you get to fly with other syndicate members and learn off them - and you can go farther. Having a share close to home means that it is easier to take friends, family and colleagues flying (and possibly help with cost sharing).
You fly in busy UK airspace in crummy UK weather, you will build better navigation, command and radio skills here, rather than flying under flight following in CAVOK in the US.
If you finally get an airline job you still have access to a cheap light aircraft to fly.