I'm not into endgame yet (and this is in the wrong forum, besides), but what sort of materials are used in repairing the kinds of level 50 armor you've mentioned? I'm curious because those should (in theory) be cheaper to get repaired from a player rather than pay the vendor, which would eliminate a big cost of endgame. The second cost being teleporting, I imagine, but even that can be cut down by just using chocobos more often.

I'm also kind of in awe of having a repair bill that high. Right now with good gear between levels 15 and 20, my repair bills for halfway worn equipment is a few hundred gil for plate armor. Does it really go up by such a large factor, or is that hyperbole?