I've got both between all our bikes, and never felt or experienced any higher cost with either one.
Spokes (chrome) and rims(again, chrome) wipe clean very easily. Cleaning alloy seems to me to be much harder. (time consuming)
Spokes can be easily and inexpensively trued, alloy is more cost effective to just replace if bent. I've done both recently.
BUT, as stated in ALL of the replies above, CHROME IS JUST BAD_ASS FOR WHEELS!!!
