A masterwork weapon typically costs between three and five times a normal weapon.
That's not counting a weapon with decorative touches, (gold or silver inlays, fancy pommels, etc). An artfully decorated weapon or jewel encrusted weapon doesn't have to be masterwork.
When it comes to ease of use, the difference between a normal weapon and a masterwork weapon is negligible. Characters don't get any bonus dice or a difficulty modifier for having a masterwork weapon.
So why would anyone bother with a masterwork weapons? Masterwork weapons are a lot less prone to breaking.
In real world medieval battles, weapons broke all the time.
The Game Master has discretion can have weapon get broken at his discretion, but it if you want to represent this with dice, roll this chart when an attacker makes a botched attack or damage roll.
A masterwork weapon cannot botch a damage roll, only an attack roll, unless you are hitting magic armor or a creature with rock skin or the equivalent.
Ordinary Weapon Botch Chart
1-Weapon is destroyed and a piece of it strikes the wielder or an ally of the wielder
2-Weapon is destroyed
3-Weapon is bent or damaged
4-Weapon is bent or damaged and is dropped or stuck
5-An ally is struck, weapon is fine
6-Weapon is dropped or stuck
7-Weapon is dropped or stuck
8-Weapon is dropped or stuck
9-Weapon is dropped or stuck
10-Weapon is destroyed and a piece of it strikes an enemy of the wielder.
Masterwork weapon
1-An ally is struck, weapon is fine
2-Weapon is bent or damaged
3-Weapon is bent or damaged
4-Weapon is dropped or stuck
5-Weapon is dropped or stuck
6-Weapon is dropped or stuck
7-Weapon is dropped or stuck
8-Wielder misses and looks like a dumbass.
9-Wielder misses and looks like a dumbass.
10-Weapon is dropped or stuck but also indirectly helps the wielder. Maybe the stuck weapon is keeping an enemy at bay or maybe the wielder accidentally dropped their weapon after scoring a hit.
Most magic weapons are masterwork
Given the high cost of making a magic weapon, the cost of a masterwork weapon is almost negligible. Though if an ordinary weapon is crafted into magical weapon, it is resistant to breaking as a masterwork weapon.
Some people don't want to broadcast that they are carrying a magical weapon, so they want magical weapons that look unimpressive. In most cases, they still end up getting a weapon of masterwork qualities that happens to have small cosmetic flaws designed into it for appearances sake.
Whether a magical item is not a masterwork or is a masterwork pretending to be ordinary, there is a cost to pay. Appearances actually matter when it comes to magic. A magical weapon that looks like a poor man's weapon will eat up about 20% more reagents than a weapon than a weapon that looks fance.
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