How much you spend depends mostly on your preferred budget. But it’s also true that spending more means higher quality parts, which results in better sound.
Think about how committed you are to building and enjoying a vinyl collection.
If you only plan to listen occasionally and aren’t overly particular about sound characteristics, it’s not necessary to spend much for a listening experience that meets your needs.
Collectors who plan to use a record player frequently or people with specific preferences for tone will want to spend a bit more on the mid-range spectrum. The additional cost usually means more control, quality parts, and construction, as well as better customer support for setup and troubleshooting.
When deciding on a turntable, remember to consider the additional expense of adding a preamp (if necessary), quality speakers, and solid furniture to house your setup.
In most cases, you can upgrade the parts later to improve sound quality. So don’t stress if you need to stick with a more budget-friendly option at first.