On paper the Compact gives you more gearing. IMO in practice it's easier to keep up with a standard, also, the small ring is relatively useless on the compact unless thre are BIG hills.

What type of Bottom Bracket do you have? This plays some role in the cost to swap, also, is your chain long enough to accomodate the standard crank? It's not difficult to change the crank, and there are plenty of standard cranks that won't break the bank, especially if you check Craigslist/eBay. You'll need to adjust the front derailleur accordingly.

If you have the 2nd crank, you can always swap back/forth.