I only buy < $40 shoes and I've bought maybe 2 pairs in the last 4 years. High quality shoes are definitely more comfortable and long-lasting, however high price != high quality, even if the marketing and branding says so.
You buy $100 shoes because of style and brand. And this price tag does not always mean quality. There are plenty of expensive brands that fall apart under everyday usage.
I bought some Vibrams some weeks ago (> $100) and they are the best shoes I ever had, a small change of lifestyle. Don't overgeneralize on that, the topic "shoes" is very broad, as is "education".
I got some Vibrams around Christmas and have been wearing them solidly for about 2-2.5 months (since the weather warmed up). The harder layer of rubber has already worn through on the heel, exposing the softer layer. I'm not so sure I'll be getting another pair.
You might consider changing your walking style. Children most often walk middle-footed or even forefooted when barefoot, and this is considered the most natural way of moving. Setting down the rear end of the foot before lowering it completely is a necessity when wearing normal shoes, but it's not natural. Before I adapted fully to the Vibrams my soles even started burning on the heels when I ran longer distances. I read that it's best to just set down the whole foot plainly (or forefoot first) when walking/running with Vs.
You buy $100 shoes because of style and brand. And this price tag does not always mean quality. There are plenty of expensive brands that fall apart under everyday usage.