COBRA quote is huge, any alternatives? after 7 years as a store manager

I was offered COBRA and the monthly cost is more than I expected as a store manager. I would rather hear the honest version than the polite one. My old employer will not help with the premium. How did you decide?

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.

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it last year, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.