Running a comrade-adjacent communication server on a residential IP is probably worse for your privacy than using a cloud provider. Especially considering how many other instances will try to talk to yours.
I understand the cost argument completely. I'd only really recommend using a VPS for the Dendrite server, just so your identity isn't linked to the server...or at least reverse proxy from a cloud provider so your IP isn't exposed by running it. Would also be considerably cheaper than running the homeserver itself.
We aren't stuck with them. If you do not choose your leaders, someone else will choose them for you.