I actually just got certified myself not too long ago. It was about $370US. It took me 2 days to complete it and it was A LOT of reading and studying!!
I think normal courses are usually 4-5 days. I did have about 20 previous dives in the past so that's why I was able to complete it in 2 days. Normally you wouldn't want to do that as there's a lot of safety and procedure info you HAVE to know.
I would not trust a dive center that tells a completely inexperienced diver it's easy to complete it in 1-2 days.
Most resorts offer 1 free introductory pool lesson for free. Dive fees depend on resort/country,but are often around $60/dive. Some 5 star resorts offer free open ocean diving for all the guests!!!
I also suggest to do at least 1 ocean dive before considering to get a certification. This way you'll know this is what you like and want to continue doing.
Cheers,
Dmitri