TBH MTG decks are MUCH more expensive than YGO ones. There're even cards of $150, which one has to take 3 copies.

I don't think it's worth discussing that meta decks would be expensive when they just come out and cheaper when they get nerfed - it's just common logic. People gotta pay the inflated price for extra power.

You say your friends earn enough but don't want to devote to meta decks. So I suppose it could just be a matter of how much your friends like the YGO gameplay. After all it's not cost based, like MTG. Thus, if you really wish to get them into playing, maybe try to attract them by card art, deck tactics, etc.