Yeah, we live in a place where it's definitely more expensive than that, so we had to look outward until we hit a cheaper suburb; finally bought in 2022 right as interest rates were rising (but before they got usurious). We were forced to do it because our landlords were selling (and they wanted way more than the house was worth), and with what we had saved up, the mortgage/insurance/interest was barely more than rent. If it'd been six months later, we'd have been screwed because of the rates.

And god help anyone who doesn't get a fixed-rate mortgage.