What does Snow Leopard REALLY cost?

So it's being sold for 29 bucks as an upgrade .. i don't know what a retail copy goes for, as i got a new retail copy with my mac.. as opposed to the around 120  bucks that OSX usually STARTS at.. on and up to 400 some odd bucks
But i can tell you what it REALLY costs...
Having to replace all the apps either bought and paid for that no longer work, or available as freeware..and don't have a comparable free 10.6 version...

I added up all the apps ..which were mostly either audio editing, or interface (theming) or icon utilities (such as 'finder icon' which i used fort years)..
I haven't come up with a final total yet, but it's running well over 600$..
For someone on a pension.. that's unacceptable..

Hah! People keep saying how 'inexpensive' Snow Leopard is..
I hate reinstalls.. but i better do it now.. i still have the 10.5.2 system disks for my Imac ..as  I understand that a lot of things still worked in plain ole Leopard ....