Those local computer store prices you found aren't actually that unreasonable. I have access to 2 of the largest computer distributors in the nation (Synnex and Techdata) to check their pricing. (Synnex does not carry AMD CPUs, but Techdata does.) Those prices are only about 15% over cost. Newegg probably buys by the 1000 lot.
Another thing to note is that a UPS is NOT a surge supressor of any sort by definition. The cheap UPSes you generally find in the office stores are simply a 12V battery and an inverter. The next step up is the inverter and a simple surge supressor (MOV based). The highest grade UPS (like a Tripplite Omnismart UPS) are very large and heavy UPS setups with a line conditioner, high grade surge protection, and of course the inverter and batteries.
(A line conditioner is a variable transformer that adjusts the input line voltage to a constant 117V AC output by using a transformer. Usually these have a range of input voltages from 90 to 140V that they can adjust.)
It's important to note that only the highest grade UPSes available offer surge protection built in capable of defeating a lightning strike. Any good standard surge protector can do that.
