It is much more expensive for foreign students in the US, too.

Uni for international students in the US is extremely expensive unless you're pursuing a PhD, in which case you're usually fully covered by your PI. Although I don't really see how that's costing the taxpayer much unless that number is somehow accounting for the lost value of what someone who stays in the US after finishing their PhD would contribute to the economy.

Universities take most of the money from the student's funding source such that the student is only left enough to take care of their basic necessities, so it definitely isn't costing much in terms of stipends,