Hi just1chancefree,
I don’t make specific recommendations for mattresses because there are just too many unknowns and variables for anyone to know which mattress may be suitable for someone else in terms of PPP. I’m happy to help you narrow down your options somewhat though and help with how to choose (including avoiding any memory foam that is under @4 lbs density or so).
If you aren’t able to test a mattress personally then the only other way that you would have a reasonable expectation of making a suitable choice is with more detailed conversations with the manufacturer or retailer themselves who can use their experience and knowledge of their mattresses to give you some good guidance based on “averages” of people that have a similar body type and sleeping style (assuming they are knowledgeable and experienced). No matter what the quality, value, or price of a mattress … if it isn’t suitable for you and you can’t sleep on it then it would have little value to you.
There are a couple of manufacturers on the list which have mattresses that are under $500 (mattress only in queen) that would be worth talking to. They are …
In addition to this it may also be worth considering the Sams Club 12" Aerus mattress here although they won’t be able to give you any guidance about whether the mattress may be suitable for you and the base layer is less than 1.5 lbs.
Luxepedic is another manufacturer that will be going on the memory foam list and has a mattress that is in your budget range that may be worth considering as well.
There are hundreds of memory foam mattresses and retailers that sell “cheap” memory foam mattresses but most of them are involved in a race to the bottom in terms of both price and the quality of their materials and if they don’t meet the guidelines I listed (and have the integrity that you can believe what they tell you) I wouldn’t consider any of them. Most of them aren’t worth the money you pay for them. In many cases they list misleading or completely inaccurate information and comparisons and are often sold by people who know little about mattresses or the quality of their materials but know a lot about how to make a large profit selling cheap materials that have a high profit margin and can’t realistically be returned because of the high cost of return shipping.
Reasonable quality memory foam is a higher cost material than polyfoam and in your budget range it may also be worth considering a polyfoam mattress that uses high quality polyfoam (at least 1.8 lbs and preferably higher) that can be both comfortable, lower cost, and much more durable than cheap memory foam.
There may also be some local manufacturers close to you that have good quality/value mattresses in your price range as well (see post #3 here for an example of another member that purchased a good quality and value mattress in your price range from a local manufacturer)
Phoenix