This is all very interesting to me. I generally tend to pay about $8-9 per seed, occasionally a touch more. I only order 8-10 seeds as a time and they usually come with three or four freebies. So, at $9 each plus the freebies I tend to pay about $6.25 plus shipping. If they germinate and they usually do, I can live with this pricing. I agree with Quirk, considering the value of the crop and all of the other stuff we purchase to indulge in this hobby it isn't much money. If your are growing in commercial quantities, then it can add up.
One thing I do not do is chase the latest "Strain of the Month" These are the really expensive seeds and most of the cost is due to marketing. Previous years models work just as well as new ones. The growers need to keep developing new strains in order to remain relevant in the market and to earn higher profits derived from the new product.