According to your list, even if you take the household income, 1500/month is 18000/year - which of those countries above 18000 would you describe as third world ?
Median income lifestyle in first world country does not equate to median lifestyle in say India or Brazil.
For example, In India, fresh out of college students earn ~$6k/yr in TCS and similar companies. They make ends meet by pinching pennies. At the same time the median household income is ~$3.6k, that's what a household of a hardworking physical labourer would make and the conditions they live in aren't pretty.
I don't think it's outlandish at all for someone from a similar country to target $1k/mo. Heck, it may not even be enough if he has a family he wants to give a comfortable life.
