Aren't websites too expensive?

There are still people out there who will ask you for €1,500 to €2,000 to design a simple website, and up to €400 a year to host it.
A basic website shouldn't be anywhere near that expensive.
The cowboys probably won't mention that there is a GRANT available for business websites. Your city or country enterprise board could pay up to 50% up the cost of setting up the site.
If you're paying €2,000 for a site, you'd better be getting interactive features, custom edited video, and other stuff that is useful for your customers, not just because your webdesigner wants to show off (and charge you for it).
If you're just looking to let the world know you exist, what you're offering, and how to contact you, then a website should be cheaper than placing a medium size colour ad in your local newspaper.
Once your site is set up, the costs of maintaining it are very low compared to advertising on paper, radio or billboards.