Reasonable moving coil cartridge

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Denon-DL-110-High-Output-MC-Cartridge-Made-by-Denon-100-Brand-New-from-Japan/273711018820?hash=item3fba72b344:g:tTQAAOSwts9byUtg

Audio-Technica AT-F7

$200-300 USD for MC cartridge? I think it’s impossible to find any good one at this budget, you need a LOMC, not a HOMC as suggested above.

High Output MC have more coil winding, they are always inferior in comparison to the Low Output MC, so my advice is to stay away from the HOMC.

Each time you think about cheap MC cartridge remember that you will have to re-tip it after 600hrs (if the tip is elliptical, but on cheap MC there is only conical or elliptical), the cost of re-tip is more than the cost of your cartridge, you’re buying another cartridge every 600 hrs or you send yours for re-tip, they got you. You trying to save money on low budget MC, but actually you will pay more. That’s the trick.

Most of the cartridges at this price range will be mediocre, because most likely you can find only Conical tip at this price, Aluminum cantilever. The price is even lower than awful Denon 103.

You’d be better with MM or MI cartridges, but still the budget is too low, i think $350-450 is enough to buy absolutely perfect MM with advanced stylus profile and great sound (much better than most of the LOMC at this price). And you can replace the stylus by yourself.

In my opinion the best you can get for about $350-450 is MM, as pointed out in another thread Stanton/Pickering with STEREOHEDRON stylus are the best among low budget MM. Read.

Another favorite is Pioneer PC-1000 mkII with beryllium cantilever.
Victor cartridges are great, for some of them brand new JICO SAS styli available.

You can also look for Audio-Technica with MicroLine stylus and Garrott with Micro Scanner MKII MM cartridges.
But make sure you’re buyin’ phono cartridge with great stylus profile (definitely not conical) and it must be nude diamond, not bonded.