This website should be able to shed some more light, with respect to your questions.
http://scottishrite.albertpikedemolay.org/
I believe dues are $125 annually, and meeting attendance is encouraged, but by no means mandatory. Unlike the Blue Lodge, the Scottish Rite (in my mind) is a regional organization, so they understand you might be hours away from your individual Valley (the name of the Scottish Rite bodies in each city). I have been a member since 2009, and I have participated in a Reunion when it took place locally, and I've also done the Master Craftsman program (working on Part Two right now), but I have never attended an actual meeting of the bodies in San Antonio.
They meet on the first Thursday of each month, and I have exams every Friday. No bueno.