Angie,
you can definitely find a room for less than $600/month, if you don't mind sharing a house with roommates and commute from Queens. I used to live in the Kew Gardens/Forest Hills area, and would take the express train (board E in Queens and transfer to the 6 in Manhattan), it would take around 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the day. Check local NY craigslist for an idea how much these rooms go for. If you are frugal, you can definitely get by (granted it is a bit tight), on $1100 a month. Good luck
John