[SwellJoe]

Acoustic guitars are only a little harder to play. A decent acoustic guitar (which can be had for ~$250 used, or $500 new) with light strings is a fine learning guitar. If it's got reasonably comfortable action, it's not going to be an impediment to a beginner.

[wambotron]

Acoustic light strings are 12 gauge though, compared to electrics which are 9 or 10 gauge. There is definitely a large difference between those to a beginner.

For what it's worth, I actually use 8s on my electrics, so the jump from electric to acoustic is kind of annoying.

[SwellJoe]

Strings for acoustic guitar can be found smaller than .012. Martin Extra Lights are .010, Earthwood Extra Light are .010, etc.

[wambotron]

There are extra lights on electric that go down to 7s. The fact is that the standard strings for acoustic are 12s and the fact that a usable acoustic starts at $500 new kind of shows how much of a misfit it is for people who are looking to try something out. My first guitar that I spent that much ($500+) on was 22 years after I first started playing.

There are tons of great $100-200 new electrics that are great for playing from almost every single brand now that a beginner isn't going to be forced to restring immediately (and remember that beginners don't know how to tune guitars, let alone string them).