There are always different circumstances that factor into what is better or more cost effective. For me, battery/RC is cheaper. I only have a few locos. The cost for me to convert them to battery/RC is just slightly more than the DCC system i wanted. But, with batteries, I am able to use aluminum track, which i couldn’t do w/ DCC in my area. That is a huge savings over brass, and i don’t need rail clamps, which is another huge savings. (see there are track references in this thread )
But, the biggest savings for me is time. At my house brass track has to be cleaned normally before each run. I don’t have that kind of time, and to me my time is money. People are going to argue that charging batteries takes time just like cleaning track, but i charge my batteries after i run. I bring the locos in put them on the charger, then put them on the shelf for next time. If you cleaned track after you ran here you’d just have to clean it again when you wanted to run next time. And on a note about run time, my locos out last me. I am normally sunburnt or frozen before my loco’s batteries die.
I agree with Tony in general but there are always those who’s circumstances are different.