A knife should last you your life time, your child's life time and your grand child's life time, basically we're saying "forever".
Cost when worked out after you pay for it and your great grand children use it is going to be next to nothing. I'm using semi custom knives made in the late 1940's for my grand father, a couple carbon blades from the 1930's. Early 440C stainless and of course D-2 and M-2
My suggestion find a knife maker you like and have them build you a few. Now just think if you'd bought from Bob Kramer when he first started making kitchen knives and selling them for a few hundred bucks. His custom knives now sell for $$$$$K and up, IF you can find one or you don't mind waiting 2 years plus.
Best production knives I've sharpened of late are Misono UX10, they are rising in price for production knives. tough and they get laser sharp, if you know how to sharpen them or have access to a sharpener who does good work.
If Chicago Cutlery were hardened better they'd be good. The same can be said of Henckel's, Forschner, Wusthof, and the like.
A good bargain in an inexpensive lineup is the Victorinox Fibrox knife lineup. They are food safe and are harder and better cutters than most, Henckel's etc.