I don't know where you live, but if it's just for pollination you could see if Mason bees are an option for your area. They are pollinators as opposed to honey bees and are simple and relatively inexpensive to start.
As for honey bees, I see hives for sale on Craigslist now and then, for around $100-200, however some of the problems with bees are thought to originate with unclean hives, so I think it's better to start with fresh hives.
I also read a very interesting article about making your own old fashioned be hives as in Winnie the Pooh, and that was very intriguing to me. Just google and follow your curiosity.
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