At 22mm scale the cost of filament is basically negligible (literally pennies), but yes, you would have to either buy STL files or make them yourself in Blender.

> At 22mm scale the cost of filament is basically negligible (literally pennies)

Even assuming no losses, just by volume, something like $0.10 per figure, and packs of 1/72 scale figures that retail for $20 are often a 20-50 figures.

0.10 per figure is a order of magnitude+ overestimate. The paint will cost significantly more than the plastic.

If someone is printing their own rather than buying official models I don't think it's safe to assume they're buying the digital assets

Most people I know buy STL files from MyMiniFactory because the cost of the STLs is already a tiny fraction of the price of buying models at the local store. We spend more on the paint to paint the figures than we do on the digital files. We also like supporting the artists - they often have cheap subscription based models where you get access new files, plus their back catalog if you stay subscribed for a certain period of time or at certain tiers.

Often the artists are solo artists that you can, like, hang out with on Discord and chat directly with.

The exception might be Russia, there's a big 40K hobby there and they're cut off from buying stuff due to sanctions and the terrible state of the economy.