it dpeends on location lah.
lousy location plus lousy facilities like no air con etc $250
can rent a room liao.
Hmm. I am earning between $1500 to $2000 a month and stay with
my mother who owns a 4 room hdb flat. I earn less than Mdm
Seah.
Can I report that I am a low income earner too and rent a 1 room
hdb flat from hdb and pay $26 a month rental too? 
Cite Mdm Seah that eg to ask HDB whether u can report u r low
income earner, if u can not then why she can?
I guess a lot of applicants do in this way lah, especially
those no need to contribute CPF and those above 55 years old.
HDB lazy to catch them so there is a long Q waiting.