I know what you mean--I get these comments too, and I've been living in places like Germany, Belgium, England, Mexico (Mayan Riviera ain't as cheap as you'd think) etc., while earning dollars, and still making it happen.
People always ask how I can manage to travel so much and live independently when my take-home pay is so low compared to a salaried developer. The answer is that just like everything in life, it's about priorities. One person might prioritize cable TV and an iPhone for $200/month, whereas I'd put that money to a plane ticket. Granted sometimes things like babies or health problems don't give you a choice, but for many people, it is a choice to be chained to desks job they hate.
People always ask how I can manage to travel so much and live independently when my take-home pay is so low compared to a salaried developer. The answer is that just like everything in life, it's about priorities. One person might prioritize cable TV and an iPhone for $200/month, whereas I'd put that money to a plane ticket. Granted sometimes things like babies or health problems don't give you a choice, but for many people, it is a choice to be chained to desks job they hate.