Originally Posted by
B2N2
Lowest cost or at the most value for money? There is a big difference.
Value for money go to the USA and add an intrument rating to a license validation then do some time building while filing IFR flight plans.
Simply drilling holes in the sky around your home airport adds little valuable experience.
Needs to be both
Also the instrument rating has a certain prerequesite of hour required, which is actually one of the reasons I ask this question. In order to even get an MEIR or CPL one needs a certain number of hours, and my focus right now is getting to that stage with as low cost as possible. I do agree with the general sentiment that doing circles around the home town isn't particularly of much use.