EMMM let me see, well I done the JAA PPL/IMC/NR and some hours all for approx $7000 and to get to your level of 160hrs I am still going fall short of 15000/16000 dollars and thats with the remainder of hours done in the uk.I also have paid money for my first module in atpl groundschool. I have got an accomodation in the uk for my 6months groundschool at a cost of 1200 stg which is approx enough for less then half the stay in the states.
PLUS any flight school I visited in the US had only hour builders as instructors but at most flight schools in the UK you at least get a choice of very experienced i.e airline/RAF experience or 10yrs+ experience in alot of FTO's and I dont care what you say flying in the states is too laid back, I want challenges and actual weather to contend with. US = SAVE IN THE SHORT TERM, EXTRA IN THE LONG TERM.
Any of the guys that I have spoke to that went commercial who were in the states agree with this and would do it different if they could, although I started in the states I have no plans of going back to finish commercial.