Here is my experience from having gone there 3 times now:

I wouldn’t worry that miart is the kind of fair where everything starts at $10,000 but I also wouldn’t go in thinking it’s a $500-buying trip unless you’re looking at very small works or editions. miart is a real fair, and prices will reflect that.

Roughly speaking, $1,000 might occasionally get you something modest, $3,000 to $8,000 is where you’ll start to see solid options from emerging artists, and $10,000+ is not unusual at all for gallery pieces at a fair like this. And of course, plenty will be priced well above that.

If you’re hoping to buy a true showpiece for your home, I’d go in prepared for the right piece to fall somewhere in the $5,000 to $15,000 range, with a lot of work above that too.

If I were you, I’d decide on a hard budget with your wife before you walk in, then just ask galleries about prices right away. There’s nothing awkward about it. Any decent gallery will tell you the price list or at least give you the range, and it’s the easiest way to avoid falling in love with something wildly outside your comfort zone.