I see. What about foods like nuts, seeds, oats, rice, and beans? Here is a list of some ideas. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vegan-protein-sources-chart

I am not trying to push this on you, it's just that you said you *want* to be vegan but are having a hard time with cost, so I'm giving some ideas.

One does not have to replace milk with a milk alternative -- I never drink those, just water.

Similarly, one does not need an alternative meat product. I rarely buy those too. You can get plenty of protein from whole foods that might even be cheaper than meat.

Maybe all of the foods listed here are prohibitively expensive, but my understanding was that rice and beans at least are common in South America?