In those games, I'd pay around $1 weekly average.
Which means I'll never buy "appearance" items at the first few weeks, until I know I play this game enough to justify the cost... Then I wouldn't pay anything that changes my life-style outside the game.
Though I don't remember I ever did that before, I just don't play these games much.
Yeah, the average player doesn't spend much, but then there are the few people who spend absurd tons of money.