Sounds like you started with a less-expensive brand (Mitoma) and were punished for it. Starting in the middle (Epson model 3000, $1200 in 2014) I had the opposite experience. When I bought it, a replacement bulb+housing was $300. By the time I needed one, the price had fallen to $99, and swapping was easy. Last year's 2nd replacement was also $99, and they're still available.
And now some other circuit seems to have failed in the projector after 8.5 years and 10k hours of use. If it can't be repaired, I can buy a replacement Epson (model 3200) that uses the exact same lamp, so I can pull the partially used one from the old projector and hold it as a spare.
My experience fits advice I've read elsewhere: Projectors under $1000 are false economy, doomed to fail in ways that can put you off projectors forever. Start looking above $1000 and expect to land in the $1200-$1600 range.
Uncle Jeff