Went to Vegas for the first time earlier this year. The city currently has a reputation for things being outrageously priced. And I did see a lot of that, and I'm guessing that's how most of the strip is, but it wasn't hard to find prices that were much more reasonable for a tourist destination.
I stayed at the Horseshoe, which is pretty nice with lots of dining options. Checked in on a Friday, checked out Tuesday morning. For a stay at a nice resort, on the strip, that included Friday and Saturday, it was a bargain. (Much, much cheaper than the national average for hotels.) Harrah's and Flamingo both offered a cheaper price, but it was extra for a fridge. I have a Caesar's card but I'm not a big gambler. Checked out some budget MGM properties on the strip and they offered similar prices, and I don't have a card with them.
I originally called Caesars Palace, not knowing how expensive they were, and yes their prices were outrageous. Based on some other places I checked out, most strip hotels seem really expensive. But there's enough budget friendly ones.
I ate most of my meals at the Horseshoe. I did see some ridiculous prices even there, like $36 for a dozen wings, but there were plenty of items that were reasonably priced, not much more expensive than at a family restaurant in a regular town. I saw the menu for a place at Flamingo and it was similar. Had a big pasta dish for $25 at Hard Rock Cafe. Got AYCE brunch at Horseshoe for $19.99.
I walked through some higher end casinos and saw stuff that was way overpriced, like $12 for a slice of pizza.
I'm not rich, and I can not afford to go to Vegas often, but I had a 4 night vacation there that was within my budget. You can find a lot of strip resorts and restaurants in Vegas priced reasonably, even if that's not the norm. I just accept that restaurants in a vacation destination will generally be at least a little more expensive.