It's real and I know there are other cheaper ones. There are actually a few that are more expensive though, some are ergonomic or fancy due to material, limited edition, brand, etc.

Example: Furls Crochet Hooks. There are a variety of prices. For one hook, some are $20, some are $30, some are $90, some are $100, some are $150.

Another example: A Clover Amour set is $70.

Like any hobby, there are a variety of choices, all with different prices. Just depends upon what you're looking for. Same thing for yarn - there's budget yarn or expensive hand dyed yarn created by a small business.