Been on the IPTV train for about 7 years now.
I pay $9/month for all the channels (every sport package imaginable, live events, PPVs, all the movie channels, local channels fron all over the country, international channels, etc). I pay an extra $3/month for Real-Debrid for reliable HD links. I've never used a VPN.
I also pay for Netflix cuz I like it. Then I have reg cable so I can watch/DVR my usual shows.
So basic cable is around $70/mo, plus $15 for Netflix, plus $12 for IPTV. Less than $100/month and I have every channel imaginable as well as every sporting event, PPV, etc.
I could cut the cable completely and cut my total cost down to less than $30/mo and would have everything I need but I like the convenience of having cable for most live TV, DVR, etc.