Here are the cheapest listings for Pasadena currently on Craigslist:
Beautiful New York Style Studio Apartment - Short Walk To Everything
1 Bedroom Pasadena (broken link)
Hip One Bedroom Unit in 4 Plex (broken link) -- in the area above the 210, but that part of Michigan Ave. is fine… Remember that not all of the area above the 210 is bad, it's mainly the Robinson Park/N. Fair Oaks area that you want to stay away from, and some parts of Altadena
close to south Lake shopping and Cal Tech (broken link)
Otherwise in general, apartment housing around here is about $1200 - $2000+