Renting vs buying a home

I'm a 31 yr old guy who currently lives alone. I make variable income in the range of $100k to $150k annually in a medium sized Midwestern city. I'm financially comfortable but I do rent. I pay about $1,300 for my apartment. I have $13k in car payments left, which I plan to pay off in the next 12 months. No kids and no student loans. I'm able to afford international trips etc.

I've been contemplating whether buying a home is worth it. I like the town I live in, but it has become expensive (mid $370ks and above at minimum). There's cheaper areas of the city but I'm not interested in moving out of my community.

Buying a home seems complicated and I've read horror stories of people's payments being raised without good explanations.

Is buying a home more prudent than renting indefinitely? I must mention that I intend to retire in Africa, and I have some houses/ properties there. I don't feel the "need" to own a home in the US, although I may have kids in the medium term. Since I don't plan to live here after retirement, is buying really worth it for me based on the current market? Any advice?