I think it all depends on the specific domain registrar. I would contact support to clarify this situation. Yes, it can be expensive. Even around $250. That's not news. If you are using a well-known, large domain registrar, then this is the case. I use Pananames, it costs less here. But you can find another lesser known registrar. When I registered the domain, the renewal price was displayed immediately. Once I also forgot to renew my domain on time and paid only $50. Although I used to pay 200-250 dollars. But it also depends on the domain zone.