I was quoted $2,500 to re-spray the Cadillac XLR I used to have, or double that for a color change, and that is in Louisiana. So those prices that you are quoting, even the $1,200 price quote, are not that bad. To do it right takes a lot of man hours, just for the prepping phase, which includes sanding, masking off areas to protect against over-spray, and wipe down of car to remove dust and other contaminants. Then there are the costs associated with the primer, the paint, and the clear coat, as well as various items such as rags, chemicals to clean of dust residues etc. On top of that a shop has overhead costs, of which some are complying with EPA regulations. So 600 to 1,200 sound like a bargain. Super quality & innovative paint jobs can run into the 10's of thousands of dollars.
Earl Scheib, which I am surprised to see are actually still in business, used to paint your car for about 99.99 if I remember correctly. That was years ago though, but I'll bet they are still the cheapest auto sprayers. You might want to check them out to see if one is close enough for you and see what they charge.