$1k for a day's work? Really? Wow. Some people on this website considered it weird when i said that $15/hour is a low rate when you ask for freelancers who can

$1k for a day's work? Really? Wow. Some people on this website considered it weird when i said that $15/hour is a low rate when you ask for freelancers who can code more than your run-of-the-mill php page. I am not talking about US vs non-US, that makes no difference to me. I expect to pay a premium for service from knowledgeable people regardless of their nationality. Why don't people do the same when it comes to software? Or am i completely off base here?