Used Macs are a thing. Old ones can be quite cheap.

I still run a 2009 MacBook Pro (for my partner) and a 2011 Mac Mini. Both max out at 10.13 but they work 100% fine, run the latest browsers etc., and do all we need.

I think it was probably more that cost alone is not enough reason to choose Linux, and if you can't afford a Mac it's unlikely you actually need the Mac for any Mac-specific purpose.