I mean there are options for sure. Every city typically has free events, lower cost events, and expensive events. Those typically aren’t a great way to meet new people so much as do them with existing people you know.

But the issue in my experience is that people socially sort themselves out of those categories. Like, people with any money would rather sit around feeling bad they don’t have more, than go to a event that costs 0 USD and associate with other 'poor people.

The proverbial Marx quote. Nobody wants to part of a club that would allow them to be a member.