If you're new to the world of VPS, I would suggest looking into a 384MB or 512MB VPS with CPanel. Monthly pricing for CPanel will depend on the provider you choose and their licensing costs from their upstream or deal with CPanel directly.
Typically, CPanel licenses are $13-$15/monthly (CPanel/WHM VPS Optimized, not the standard CPanel internal/external license), if you buy them from an authorized CPanel reseller. Web hosts tend to be able offer them a bit cheaper depending on the number of licenses they already hold.
You'll find some that include CPanel with the VPS and those VPS's normally run $25-$50 per month starting.
Shopping for a VPS is the same as shopping for a shared/reseller account in my opinion. Know the costs and know what you're getting yourself into before you purchase.
If the offer seems too good to be true, it most likely is. This can be said for many of the $5 and $10 VPS offers that float around. It's simply not feasible pricing when you take a deeper look into the actual cost of operation.