You kinda have a point. But you also have to take into consideration that you get additional hitpoints and safety from destruction (e.g. by building airstrip level 2 you decrease the risk of your airplanes being downed). Same for fortification, which lasts longer and thus applies its bonus longer.
We could also consider it as a "fee" for maxing out a province. You only have a limited amount of possible build locations, so maxing out a province is actually benefitial in itself, which could be reflected in increasing prices. Which could also stand for decreased efficiency when bringing a process to peak performance.