I think he's envisioning this as a one-way trip: $500k for a house in California OR settle down on Mars. In that case, it's actually an affordable price tag. Even if EM realizes his reusable rockets, I imagine the primary purpose would be for transporting supplies, etc. rather than frequently shuttling people Earth <---> Mars.
Just think of immigrants from the early 1900's who uprooted their entire families and got on a boat to America. That was a one-way journey in most cases until international travel became more affordable and more commonplace. Interplanetary travel, when it happens, will likely take the same pattern.
Just think of immigrants from the early 1900's who uprooted their entire families and got on a boat to America. That was a one-way journey in most cases until international travel became more affordable and more commonplace. Interplanetary travel, when it happens, will likely take the same pattern.