Lower cost? Maybe, slightly. AR mags are cheap, Mini-14 mags can be very expensive.
Reliablilty? Really? The AR has it over the Mini in every way.
Relatively cheap.
Reliable.
Accurate.
Configurable.
for these reasons I'm planning on an AK WASR or equivalent.
I’ve had a Mini-14 since 1978 and had no problems with it at all...Very reliable field weapon, IMO...
I trashed a couple of M-16’s in Vietnam so maybe I have a bias against that weapon...relied mostly on M-14’s and a very nice Stoner 63A most of the my time there...