Are there “cheaper” alternatives for the CFA program please?

There are a few indeed, but I don’t think many come close in job market recognition as the CFA program, especially if you’re a career switcher. It’s broad and wide reaching, so you get a fairly good understanding of the financial ecosystem. On the other hand, other designation will give you a deeper understanding of a narrower field of finance which might be a problem later on if you get bored at your job.

I’ve read a comparison between CFA and CBV (Chartered Business Valuator in Canada) which I thought was spot on. The former is a mile wide and three feet deep, while the latter is three feet wide and a mile deep. It may well apply to other designations.

If you’re like me (rather curious and hit by boredom like a freight train once you’ve been around your sandbox once or twice), which I assume you somewhat are as a career switcher, you may want to put on more weight to that last factor. Bear it in mind when come decision time.

As for pricing, I’ll compare it to the financial requirements of the Canadian CPA designation (for lack of better knowledge of others). It would cost you up to 10 000$CAD (I won’t go into the specifics since you could go through an accredited university which would be less expensive) and 1100$CAD/year to hold that title as compared to being a CFA Charterholder which is 2400$USD (450$ + 3×650$USD) at best and 250$USD/year afterwards. If you register late (just don’t!), it’s 4590$/USD and the same annual fee.

More details for comparison purposes.
http://cpaquebec.ca/en/becoming-a-cpa/registration-and-forms/fee-schedule-and-forms/
https://www.cfainstitute.org/programs/cfaprogram/register/Pages/fee_schedule.aspx