There are inexpensive ways through which you can get the gaming experience you want to have. those inexpensive ways might not include the flagship products but they will be able to do the job very well. If on one side, there is a flagship graphics card like RTX 3080 is present for elite gaming then on the other side, you can game very well with GTX 1060 as well. this is the only difference between the elite and the average that they churn out different performance but they can do the job just fine.
This is the same case for an accessory like gaming headphones. You can find a pair of gaming headphones in the lowest as well as the highest budget ranges without any problem. That is why gaming headphones are serving all kinds of people who can afford only a specific price. Another case is that some are hobbyists and then some are enthusiasts and then come to the hardcore gamers so the investment of money on gaming devices depends on that as well.
There is a good chance that you will find good headphones with a mic under 500 across the internet. It is all based on the brand that you are choosing. Brands like Cosmic & HyperX are trying to deliver on the lowest budget point as well. this might just be one case but people who can spend a 1000 or up to 3000 are also getting great options for gaming headphones. All you have to do is research to the best of your abilities and find the right kind of gaming headphones for yourself.
Some people tend to depend on earphones as well which do the job just fine but a gaming headset is different from a normal headset. The build, the need, and the durability are very different as well. a mic is also very important in a gaming headset, especially for multiplayer gaming. A headphone can be a single unit but it will serve a lot of purposes through the features that it may have.