When people talk about the question of sending Bnos Yisroel to Seminary in Eretz Yisroel and reducing it to a question of dollars and cents, it is like asking if we should keep Yomim Tovim even though they are so expensive. What looks very much like a lemon is costing north of fifty dollars [multiplied by how many sons you have] and what looks like large crackers costs hundreds of dollars. But we spend the money b/c it is part of our connection-covenant-obligation with and to Hashem.
Reminds me of the Oscar Wilde quote that a cynic is someone who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing. There are some things in life that have value beyond money.
That being said - people easily spend more on a simcha that lasts for a few hours than an entire year of Seminary costs.
