Pinball has hidden costs that can make it more expensive in the long run, but it depends on how far you go with your "following" of the hobby. I usually go to 3 or 4 pinball/retro arcade conventions (Pin Expo, TPF, CAX, Zapcon) plus I make a pilgrimage to the PHOF in Vegas at least once a year. I'm in a local Pinball league and we have a monthly tournament. Now add in pinball consumables, spare parts, repair time, tools and you can get your spending up there, and this is not including the costs of any new machines.
My other hobbies are mostly maker based, such as 3D printing, CNC wood working, electronics, computers, virtual reality, video pinball cabinet (built my own), plus my past hobbies have included RC vehicles, target shooting, pyrotechnics,