If you owned your own home outright, your expenses would decrease considerably. You could buy a small house outright that didn't have condo or HOA fees. Then your housing expenses would be little more than property tax and insurance. These can be low, especially in a small, inexpensive home. However, such a dwelling may not be an option in your desired neighborhood.
My housing expense, in cash outlay terms, is $836/mo, which covers the mortgage + PT + HOI. Plus, I get some of that back by itemizing on the tax form.
But there are mucho dinero that do not show up in that simplistic view.
The lawn needs mowing, fertilizing, and watering. The shrubs need trimming, which requires Olympic laddering skills, 2-3 times a year. The sprinkler system requires continuous maintenance. I have a mysterious roof leak around my chimney that no one can find, and no one wants to tackle, unless of course I contract to get roof job. The last guys I called for an estimate had to borrow my ladder to get on the roof. They weren't hired...
I could also use all new windows, the fence will need replaced soon enough, faucets and toilets are forever needing attention...
Adding in the time and money involved in these "routine" maintenance items makes the equation much less attractive. Plus, I'm getting to the point where climbing a ladder, or mowing in 100 degree heat, or crawling under a sink to fix a drain or replace a faucet do not have the appeal they might have once had, even though I'm quite capable of doing most of my own repairs and maintenance. And getting contractors to even show up, let alone do a good job, requires the patience of Job, nerves of steel, and the lawyering skills of Robert Shapiro. PITA, in other words.