Yes—if your goal is typical near-UV photography such as flowers, there are cheaper alternatives, though they involve compromises. True dedicated UV lenses are expensive because ordinary optical glass blocks much of the UV spectrum, so specialist lenses use unusual materials and are made in very small numbers. That’s why lenses like the Nikon UV-Nikkor and Coastal Optics 60mm are costly.

However, some non-specialist lenses can still transmit enough near-UV for practical work. Community answers specifically mention EL-Nikkor enlarger lenses as a low-cost option, and note that several other lenses can reach roughly 320nm, which is generally sufficient for UV flower photography since many floral UV patterns become visible around 350–380nm.

So, under $500 is possible for a basic UV-capable setup if you use a cheaper lens with decent UV transmission rather than a true dedicated UV lens. If you need maximum UV performance deeper into the spectrum, affordable options become much harder to find.

In short: yes, budget UV photography is possible, but not usually with a purpose-built UV lens at that price.