yes items are expensive on hc

to give you an idea, you should check the different topics in the hc trading :
http://forums.d2jsp.org/forum.php?f=35and I'd go with a barb if it is your first climb with the first 10 stats in vita

I'd go with less dext and more str tho, because you're really watching your life in HC , and you might not be able to kill many monsters with too many dext :/