Having lived in London for many years, although now moved to Austria, I feel privileged to have enjoyed free and very cost effective "high culture" for many years. So much so, that I simply forgot this wasn't the case in many other locations.
All London's major museums and galleries offer free entry.[1][2] The BBC Proms, a classical music festival in the Royal Albert Hall spanning almost three months each year between July and September, offer £5 tickets to every concert, if you're willing to promenade (stand).[3] Even tickets for reasonable seats can be obtained for less than £20, although popular concerts do book out well in advance.
The article author's assertion that high prices in "creative-class capitals" are driven by "deep-pocketed local elites and high-spending tourists," is clearly not true everywhere.
[1] http://www.timeout.com/london/museums/free-museums-in-london