Alternative to the idiomatic phrase "highway robbery"

Question

I was wondering whether there were any other alternatives to the phrase "highway robbery". I am trying to say the same thing in a light-hearted, but not too casual way.

Answer 1

If you want to be light-hearted, you could use dramatic understatement and say a bit pricey.

You also could comment on whether you could afford to commit both an arm AND a leg to the purchase.

You might suggest that you are comfortable with being taken for a ride, but not with being run over.

You could indicate you like a neat appearance, but that doesn't mean you want to be taken to the cleaners or cleaned out.

You also might indicate your mild reluctance to being ripped off.

Answer 2

The other day I discovered the phrase clean shave that applies.

OED definintion:

a complete swindle or extortion.

It derives from a rather rare sense of shave meaning to strip someone clean of money or possessions. (sense 4)

Answer 3

I would suggest exorbitant, extortionate or overcharging.

Answer 4

I'm partial to that durable hippie creation ripoff or feisty synonyms like mugging, but the context may be amenable to a playful neologism like, um, say... swindlathon?... graspasm?... uberburglary???...