Funny you should mention that. Here's a study about the cost of containment of one particular case.
BTW, measles lasts a bit more than a few days - more like 8-12, with periods of high fever. And for the first four days of this you have no symptoms but are infectious.
I suggest your memory is looking through rose coloured glasses, and you are susceptible to conspiracy theories spread by anti-vaxxers.
"ABSTRACT. Background. In February 2004, students from a college in Iowa, with a high proportion of non medical exemptions to vaccination, traveled to India; one fourth of the students contracted measles while there.One exposed, susceptible student returned home during his infectious period, necessitating 2 months of containment efforts in Iowa.
Objective. The objective of this study was to measure the direct costs of measles containment from a public health system perspective.
DISCUSSIONThe direct cost of an individual case of measles has been estimated to range from $70 (no complications) to $30 000 (encephalitis), with an expected cost of$704.12 In this outbreak, the single primary patient and the 2 secondary case patients experienced no known complications; thus, the direct costs attributable to their illnesses may have been $500. Our study suggests that the costs to the Iowa publichealth infrastructure of preventing the spread of disease from these cases were
$140 000."
And to top it off:
"Complications of measles may include:
Ear infection. One of the most common complications of measles is a bacterial ear infection.
Bronchitis, laryngitis or croup. Measles may lead to inflammation of your voice box (larynx) or inflammation of the inner walls that line the main air passageways of your lungs (bronchial tubes).
Pneumonia. Pneumonia is a common complication of measles. People with compromised immune systems can develop an especially dangerous variety of pneumonia that is sometimes fatal.
Encephalitis. About 1 in 1,000 people with measles develops a complication called encephalitis. Encephalitis may occur right after measles, or it might not occur until months later.
Pregnancy problems. If you're pregnant, you need to take special care to avoid measles because the disease can cause preterm labor, low birth weight and maternal death."
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/pediatrics/116/1/e1.full.pdfhttps://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/measles/symptoms-causes/syc-20374857
