Just like any other riding gear, the best thing you can do is to go into a shop that specialized in motorcycle gear, and try on different boots.
Most shops will have a bike on a stand (or at least a bike frame with a seat, handlebars and foot pegs), so that you can get a feel how the boots will feel when you are sitting in a riding position and move your feet around to shift and brake.
As for the prices, I've gone several seasons with "cheap" leather boots (bought in a supermarket for about $25), but these only last about 1 season. Last year, I "splurged" and bought an "expensive" pair of touring boots (with GoreTex linings, etct.) for about $200.
I've had both of my boots "touch down" around hairpin turns - if I was wearing tennis shoes, I would have broken my foot (it would have twisted my ankle away). Since my boots are designed to protect my feet and ankles, there was a short "pucker", but otherwise no injury caused by these "touch downs".
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