Cost To Rent Heli For Training?

[zCaptain]

I'm wondering why it cost so much to rent a helicopter? Are the prices high because that's just what the going rate is or is it because of fuel costs?

I was wondering if it was possible to go to a foreign country like say Ecuador or Venezuela where fuel prices are dirt cheap. I'm assuming that those countries do have civilian chopper pilots, and that they do have school to train their students.

So why not learn and build flight hours in a cheap country like that?

Any answers would be appreciated, thanks.