I pay 4,100 per rent for my room in Pattaya, Thailand which comes out to about $125. Even though Pattaya is one of the more expensive places of Thailand, it can still be incredibly cheap.
I firmly believe that one can travel as a minimalist, Cheap Charlie style and have a great time. Paradise is a journey, not a destination. For those of us who love to travel, the joy of it is the new experiences, exploring new places, meeting new people, experiencing difference cultures. To do these things a lot of money is not required, in fact by spending a lot there is the real possibility that money can get in the way of these things. I keep my backpacking ultralight, bringing as few things as possible so I can also explore and move around as much as possible. I do a lot of walking on my travels.