It's not the money. In many places you need to go through permitting to get it and they do not want to give it to you. Often you also need a signed approval from every person in the building.

There is something very wrong in the EU if installing a life saving window air conditioner requires a permit or signed approval from every person in the building.

so yes something is very wrong

This is true. In many places you can't install the outdoor unit on the street-facing side of the building without approval, and you won't get it in most cases, and this is indeed in addition to getting approval from your building's residents association if you live in a flat.