I wear diapers to help with stress and thinking about the cost makes it worse, so I just don't think about it, other than to limit myself to one premium diaper per week.
In terms of fit and cuteness, it depends if you plan to use them. If not, go cute crazy. If yes, make sure they fit well and cute will need to take a backseat. My wife makes me wear plastic pants to bed if I am diapered, and I usually wear a onesie or
tights anyway, so you don't see the diaper much, but me knowing and my wife telling me whether I look cute when changing makes a difference.
My go-to diapers are ABU Little Kings and Rearz Mermaids. I love the wetness indicator on the Little Kings - as far as I am concerned, it is the most baby-diaper looking adult diaper (reminds me most of the Costco diapers my kids wear). Just before ABU announced the Little Kings, I found Rearz Mermaids fit me very well. I drink a lot and when I "go", I go a lot, so high absorbance and maybe a stuffer are a must.
I often have to readjust the tapes multiple times when I put on a diaper, so I don't like diapers with no landing zone (i.e. Crinklz).