I did mine in the USA in 2000 and it was definitely cheaper then. I paid $5,500 for the course plus about $1500 for the hotel / flights (which included a minibus which would take you anywhere in Long Beach, so no hire car reqd.).
Took 5 weeks, due to a spell of "June Gloom" delaying my test. Came back with 63 hrs in the logbook for that price.
But there are two distinct advantages with the USA...1) You can bang it out in a month if you want (allow an extra week though)....2) If you want a stand alone US license then take the FAA test straight away afterwards, then you have JAA and FAA PPL.
Plus it made me comfortable flying in the USA and now we go back for flying holidays quite often.
It took me an hours checkout at Bournemouth Flying Club on my return to be allowed to rent their aeroplanes and then a few flights on my own fumbling my way through "MATZ transits" etc., but if you know the theory it is easy flying in the UK compared to the USA.