I still think kava is cheaper than alcohol overall. Especially if you compare high end alcohol to high end kava prices. A good quality craft brew 12 pack is gonna cost you at least around $18-20 and a good quality fifth of liquor will be $30-50 depending on taxes etc. you can find lots of high grade kavas for $20-30 for a half lb or full Lbs for $40-55. I would argue that a half lb of kava would give most people more mileage in sessions than a 12 pack of beer, and certainly a lb of kava will get you more bang for buck then a bottle of liquor. That said, consumption of booze and kava is highly variable. For me, i can get about 16-22 shells out of a half lb of kava (i use about 2 tbs per knead, but end up getting a secon shell out of that when i knead it for a second time) and drink maybe 2-4 shells per night. The time in life when i drank the most booze, i would typically drink 2-4 beers a day and sometimes more like 6 or 9. It is extremely rare that i will have 6 or 9 shells of kava in one night.
On the other hand, I know those people here, who there are a good number of, who consume upwards of 80 grams in regular session. Ive seen a couple who use a quarter lb or more in a day. Thats all great but not very economic. Multiple lbs of kava in a week could come close to triple digits if it was the pricier stuff. But then again there are people who drink more than a 12 pack in a day to enjoy their alcohol, which would cost just as much. So i can only really say that it is still more affordable than alcohol for myself only. And it really is an expensive hobby, hosting kava sessions with friends can be difficult to afford at times. Ideally my favorite kavas would be available for $40 a lb. I feel like i am always spending a little out of my budget with kava