Cross tires on a road bike I want to buy a road bike for commuting, fitness, leisure, etc. and not for professional racing. However, because I live in a "wet" country, I would like to be able to change the tires into cross tires.

As far as I know, standard road tires are 25mm and standard cross tires are 30mm.

Are there any entry level (meaning less than 2-3K) road bikes that have the frame/fork/brake clearance for the larger wheels?
The main thing to watch out for is the brakes, if the comes with V-Brakes or Cantilever brakes, you should be able to run wider tires and fenders.

Typical CX tires are 32-35mm and typical road from 23-28.

The caliper style brakes found on many road bikes will not accommodate the wider CX tires. There are many options under 2-3K, You could even look at cyclocross bikes as many are under the 2-3K in the US. Visit your local bike shop and look at a few options.

A buddy bought a Kona "Jake The Snake" last year and is a very nice bike and under the 2-3K.