Try more than $700 for people doing a full IM. Believe it or not, per hour of "competition time", something like Haute Route is actually a lot cheaper than an IM.
An IM is about 25% more expensive "per hour" at the longest possible time for cutoffs than Haute is.
Ironman? Max cutoff cost per hour is $53.
"Per hour" a $30 30min crit is a bargain for a one time experience.......but is $60/hr. If you do Haute Asheville, it's $900 for 3 days. Assume 7hrs per day. That's $42/hr.
Still, crits and 5k's and cross and local triathlons are bargains for out-the-door cost for an experience. Just have to consider for the really expensive events your "cost per enjoyment" over time I suppose.