There are inexpensive ways to do granite countertops. It's all in the options you choose. Obviously, a lot of the cost will be in your material selection as granite can vary greatly in price for the material. You probably aren't going to get an extremely dramatic granite with color variation and large sweeping movement without picking a mid-higher level priced stone, however. You can also do things to lower labor costs like do a drop-in vs under mount sink and do a simple 3/4" edge detail vs the standard 1-1/2" (if you are using 2 cm material). You can do this for between $15-20 per sq. ft. Talk to your fabricator and I'm sure they will be willing to work with you to make it fit into your budget.