Timing belt has jumped a notch or three.
Whatever it is, it's affecting all cylinders, so stop with the compression tests.
Dry the spark plugs if you want, pull the fuel pump fuse, install the plugs, crank it and spray ether or propane or acetylene into the intake at the manifold - see if it runs.
Normal cranking sounds could also tell you if the timing has slipped, although one needs experience to hear the change.
A thousand dollars? You could have bought my plane ticket and I would have fixed it and flown home the same day - and kept the change.
Diagnosis. That's the key. Not "faith" in some repair shop.