Possible to go below 40k. For those EK hatchback that are still in stock condition but those are very rare.
Neo? Why not go for the old Satria. I'll show something at here. Even though this is not Satria, but it is still related.
Quickest Mitsubishi Colt AWD in germany 978HP & 871Nm - YouTube
But to achieve this, really a lot of money is needed. The money spent on doing this mod can get you a DC5 already I guess. Besides, 4G63T in Satria is now illegal and not to mention the 4WD setup. However, I think this video is an eye opener for people to see how far a modded Colt/Mirage can go.
Type R is expensive even for converted ones. Like EK9 for example. I've heard from people in this forum saying that original EK9 in Malaysia is not above 20 units. How true is this, I cannot confirm but this shows how rare an original EK9 is in Malaysia. The more common ori Type R are probably DC5 and FD2R. Oh ya, not forgetting CL7 and CL1 Accord Euro R as well.
Subaru is not exactly cheap as well. For the old GC8 Impreza, yes, that is quite cheap when you compare it to modded Civic EG and EK. GC8 can be found selling for around 40k plus to 50k plus. You'll get a near 300hp turbocharged boxer engine, 4WD layout and a cool looking frameless door in GC8 for around 50k. That's quite reasonable compared to the price of converted EK9 Civic. But whether what is worth the money or not, all this depends on individual preference.
For the expensive Subaru, just look at the price of Impreza WRX STI Version 9 S204 and Version 9 Spec C Type RA-R. Both of those are expensive when you compare them to their Mitsubishi counterparts, Lancer Evolution IX MR. However, you'll get a lot of good stuffs in both special versions of the WRX STI Version 9. Things like carbon fibre parts, larger brakes (I heard it is a 6 pot Brembo for Type RA-R), a stronger reinforced chassis and etc...
BTW, I'm a fan of Impreza WRX STI, so pardon me for going off topic and write too much about them on above.