I bought my Claud butler Cape Wrath (entry level HT) in about 1998, RST front suspension, cable disk brakes, alloy hardtail frame. I remember lusting over a Klein Attitude Comp in the shop which I couldn’t quite afford, which was $1200 RRP so probably around £1000-1200 which my memory seems to think is about right, I think my bike was £600-700.
£600 in 1998 is about £1000 now, and you can buy a good HT for that, or even a FS bike.
£1200 is only £2100 now which buys you a good mid/high level hardtail, so I’d say things are about the same, or better now.