you live in CT so you have LI Sound and Rhode Island..Neither will have the visibility you can get in the islands,but both can give you a lot of intense experience.Shore diving available in Rhode Island so all it costs you is gas ,air fill and maybe a campsite to keep expenses low.
To go to North Carolina and get in some diving can be as expensive or more than a trip to Bonaire.If you figure in the costs to get to NC and then a hotel and diving on a per dive basis it can costs you $1,700. to get in a week of diving there.That is only IF you do not get blown out by the weather and get to dive a 2 dive boat charter for 7 days.That gives you 14 dives at a cost of $121. per dive..Go to Bonaire for as little as $1,400. at a location like Liz's at GRI and dive 4 or 5 times a day.Over 7 days that costs $40.-$50. per dive..Spend a little more,as we are with a group in April, to be on the water and on a per dive basis it can come out to $48.-$60. per dive.