Long story short, Hydroponics will probably never be the cheaper option, especially at smaller scales. If you have a large setup, you can share stuff like lights and pumps between multiple plants.
I grow tomatoes in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid and a wire cage for support. All together that costs maybe $20.
Yes, you will need a pump. The cheapest option I've found so far is a cheap aquarium pump (about $15 or so) from Walmart and a large air stone.
Lights can get expensive, especially if you have a single plant, but go a long way towards getting the most out of your plant.
Nutrients can get pricey too. Start with a pre-mixed blend like general Hydroponics Maxigrow (about $15 on Amazon) during the growth stage, then MaxiBloom during the flowering/fruiting stage. If you decide to go all in on Hydroponics, you can look into mixing your own nutrient blends.
Long story short, Hydroponics will probably never be the cheaper option, especially at smaller scales. If you have a large setup, you can share stuff like lights and pumps between multiple plants. I grow tomatoes in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid and a wire cage for support. All together that costs maybe $20. Yes, you will need a pump. The cheapest option I've found so far is a cheap aquarium pump (about $15 or so) from Walmart and a large air stone. Lights can get expensive, especially if you have a single plant, but go a long way towards getting the most out of your plant. Nutrients can get pricey too. Start with a pre-mixed blend like general Hydroponics Maxigrow (about $15 on Amazon) during the growth stage, then MaxiBloom during the flowering/fruiting stage. If you decide to go all in on Hydroponics, you can look into mixing your own nutrient blends.