COBRA costs more than my rent, what did you do? - 13 months and counting

I was offered COBRA and the monthly cost is more than I expected as a sales associate. I have been trying to stay organised about it. I saw that marketplace plans might cost less. Is the decision time really that tight?

Check what the notice says about the election period and when coverage starts. Mine allowed a short window to choose.

I priced both side by side: total yearly cost, doctors in network and the deductible. Marketplace was cheaper for us, but only because our doctors were covered.