I don't think cycling gear is necessarily more expensive than similar quality non-cycling gear. It is sometimes a bit harder to find though, particularly on sale. The biggest differences I've seen are, as others have mentioned, cycling-specific cut (not always a good thing, if you're not into super-tight clothing, but does help with the added tail for example), reflective colors and strips, and perhaps minor conveniences for when you're biking (pockets in certain locations or similar). Personally, it's hard for me to justify spending a large amount of money on just a jacket, but water proof, breathable gear is really amazing and if you can use it for more than just biking, then it's great. My rule on this though is to be able to layer so that the same component can be used for multiple temperatures. That way I can use the same external shell when it's 45 degrees out and I'm biking or 20 degrees and I'm skiing (or biking) - just change the layers underneath.