It all depends on what you want your phone to do and how much you use it. Mines well over a $1,000....couch $2,000. Phones have become mini laptops in our hands, cameras, videos cameras, all compacted in to one tiny little convent gadget we can do so many things or wast so much time.
If we were talking about a bull, truck, tools, guns, fishing rods, boats, ect. Money would be a thing.
Just all depends on what you want to use the phone for.
I enjoy having the more expensive cameras on a phone and videos. Not so much the phone. I could buy a separate camera and a phone but than I'd still be out that much money and having to carry 2 things around.
In our area cricket doesn't work, only in town. Same with At&t... being the same company. I used to cuss them.