Although it lacks the raw processing power of processors like the Intel 80x86 or the Motorola 68000 series, the 6502 was known for its efficiency and affordability, making it a popular choice for embedded systems and early home computers. Its simple design contributed to lower manufacturing costs and simplified integration.
The 6502 chip is made up of 4528 transistors (3510 enhancement transistors and 1018 depletion pullup transistors)[https://www.righto.com/2013/09/intel-x86-documentation-has-more-pages.html Source].
To put it into perspective, 64KB of DRAM contains 524288 transistors, as 1 bit of DRAM needs 1 transistor. The 6502 is mid-1970s technology while the 64KB DRAM is early-1980s technology.