Is it difficult to learn pipa? I think it's ok. It should be that learning any musical instrument is not easy!
It is not easy to teach yourself the pipa. I had no foundation at all and didn't understand music theory, so I asked the teacher to teach me. The cost of each teacher is different. My teacher is not a famous teacher, but she is very serious and responsible. I have one class every week, one hour. 80 yuan. The price difference of pipa is even bigger! You can find out about it online. As a beginner, I use a very ordinary piano, 700 RMB. It seems that after learning a certain level, it is time to change a good piano, and it costs more than 5 thousand.
Personal feeling: as long as you persist, you will get a reward!