The costs of contact eye exams differ depending on the eye doctor you go to, and if they cover your insurance (if you have it). Contact prices themselves also differ. I've checked out acuvue contacts before for myself and they're about 40+ dollars for a six month supply. (That's 80 dollars a year, maybe more if they decide to raise the prices)
The contact eye exam differs cause different eye doctors charge different prices. For some it may be 50 dollars, and for others it may be 150+. It depends on the doctor, so you're going to have to do some research on that yourself. Find some eye doctors in your area and call them up & ask them what it would cost with and without insurance for a contact eye exam, and ask them what the general price range for contacts are.
And we can't recommend any specific contacts for you. Brands offer several contacts to meet several needs. You're going to have to ask your eye doctor at the time of the exam what brand they would recommend and whatnot.