So is in Czechia, public universities are free unless you repeat a year (and even then it is not very expensive and IIRC you pay a single fee, 2500$ Bachelor’s, 3200$ Master’s, and 20$ (yes 20) Doctor’s, all per year - taken from my university). Textbooks are freely available in 99% of cases, the rest costs about 20$ printed but can be obtained for free in electronicformat, IIRC legally.

The quality is not perfect all the time, some curriculums are outdated or taught in strange ways, but it’s ever-changing.

Of course, dorms and food are not free. But there are programs to at least partially accommodate that.