Part of the reason for the high cost of a VW timing belt is the special tools that are needed to set the timing, I've done the timing belt on both a VW diesel and a Honda Civic and I a Civic is much easier, their belts also last 100,000 miles or more while the VW belt is suggested to be replaced every 60,000 miles, I also only know of one mechanic in my town that will work on VW's, the rest of them will not touch then engines on them.
Power Search is also a great tool on the
www.fueleconomy web site, you pick what you want in a car, leave the spaces that you don't care about blank and it will give you a list of vehicles, cut back to stuff that is a bit older to see what is in your price range.