Unfortunately, this is one of those things for which there truely are many variables, making it hard to give solid answers.
I am a Stay at Home Mom (SAHM) of a 6yo boy and a 3yo girl. I started quilting 7.5 years ago and have finished 3 quilts (2 crib and 1 twin). I have 4 UFOs (2 crib, 1 twin and 1 a bit smaller than a crib) that ONLY need a bit of quilting done on them. My WIP is a hand pieced Queen sized GFG.
The GFG I started basting the first hexes the last week of May. I am getting towards a sixth of the way through (just a couple more flowers to get there). I don't have a stash so had to buy the fabric. It took 7 yards of black for the pathway and 12 yards for the flowers. That was $400. That does not include ANYTHING else. No thread, batting, backing, binding, etc. JUST the fabric for the top.
So, how long? Depends on the complexity of the pattern, how much time per day you put into it, etc. A month? Entirely do-able depending on the size, pattern, amount of time per day, etc. Some women here have finished a top in a day. I am hoping to get my GFG done by Christmas.
Prices? Australian prices seem a bit more in line with Canadian prices. The prices listed by Americans are nothing like the prices here. Batting $16/yard. Fabric is $16 to $24/yard. When this top is done I will find out the price of the LAs here since there is no way in you know where that I will be shoving a Queen size through my sewing maching. I already have to stand to shove a twin through there. Not happening with a Queen.
I have also figured out that I am a topper. I love all the steps of a quilt except the actual quilting. You'll notice all of my UFOs only have quilting to do.
I love quilting. How many quilters are there? Yet you won't find identical quilts unless someone has worked to do so. Even then you rarely get two exactly the same. This keeps my hands busy, my mind engaged and gives an outlet for the creative side of my mind with non-artistic hands per se. I can't draw, paint, sculpt, etc. But I can sew the more traditional quilts and it makes me happy.
That's what's important to me! LOL
Tara