Construction costs are currently skyrocketing

In my opinion, this is still the exception.
As an example, I only have real samples for northern Saxony, but there you earn just 50% of what is possible in Berlin for comparable jobs. And Berlin is already worse paid nationwide.
That will change, no question. At the moment, I’m counting on having to be there maybe 2-4 times a month in 6-10 years, and then I’ll move to the Lusatian Lake District or something like that.
Unfortunately, it won’t be much cheaper by then either.

Sure, there are (simple jobs) here that only have half the net income that one would get in Berlin or Hamburg. But many "normal" jobs in (collectively bargained) industry, in hospitals, public service, banks, etc. don’t pay that badly. Here in Bitterfeld there is the chemical industry, Wittenberg with SKW, and other larger employers who pay well.
In my consulting conversations I see it daily: He as a worker in industry/skilled worker, she as a kindergarten teacher/nurse/public service employee... both together earn €4,000–4,500 net. Or he as an industrial worker and she as a saleswoman with €3,500 net. They comfortably buy a used property for €150,000–200,000 and still modernize it for €50,000–70,000.
While in Hamburg an IT specialist and a doctor search for 4 years for real estate and find nothing with a total budget of €600,000 and financing up to the pain threshold.

But that is once again such a pointless priority discussion. There are people who prioritize their living situation and their house above all else and derive great happiness from their property. And there are people for whom how and where they live is not so important. They derive happiness from other sources / hobbies / restaurants / vacations. ;) I believe you are trying to find a solution for a problem that is simply a matter of taste.

But this is again such a pointless priority discussion.
There are people who prioritize their living situation and their house above all else and derive great happiness from their property.
And there are people for whom how and where they live is not that important. They derive happiness from other sources / hobbies / restaurants / vacations. ;)

I think you are trying to find a solution here for a problem that is simply a matter of taste.

I do not want to convince anyone. I am merely showing a viable way when the whining "everything is getting more expensive, my top salary in the cool metropolis is not enough, how do others do it, the middle class cannot afford anything anymore" gets too loud.

So we have 11k net per month and pay €850 for our 277k financing at 0.85 in the countryside and I plan to change nothing about it.

It's always a question of priorities, as Kati already wrote above. We currently spend more than 30 percent of our household income on housing and still don't feel like we have to restrict ourselves. We also once lived in an area where we only spent 15 percent, and in my hometown we could even live for free. Still, we now live again where it’s most expensive. Money isn't everything in life, after all. But of course, everyone has to find out/decide for themselves what is more important.

I used to travel a lot, mostly two long-distance trips a year and in between various city trips or visits to relatives abroad. Back then, housing wasn’t that important to me yet. Now with kids, you spend most of the time in your hometown or within a 50 km radius. That’s why we decided for ourselves that we prefer to spend more money and live exactly where we like it best. But as I said, everyone has different priorities.

Regarding the price increases, I just hope that the situation will ease somewhat over the course of the next year. It doesn’t help to get worked up now or maybe even put your project on hold. If you were able to secure a super low interest rate and/or have already built, it’s of course easy to say. And yes, it’s great if you only spend 25 percent of your household income on housing. But nowadays, if you still want to build because the rental market in some areas is also super tight, then you just have to grit your teeth and get through it. Hoping for better times while inflation eats away at your equity and space in the apartment becomes increasingly scarce is not fun either. And moving back to a cheaper area is, as I said, not an option for us. Then we'd rather grill on the terrace than go to a restaurant twice a week.

So we have 11k net per month and pay €850 for our €277k funding at 0.85 in the countryside and I plan to change nothing about it.

Sounds great. Congratulations! Definitely makes sense.