I really like Tamiya figures and some Italeri figures (but the ones from Italeri I use are usually included with vehicle kits). But then again, I don't usually build them out of the box, I modify them drastically.
Tamiya's simple figure moldings really give you a bunch of options for relatively easy modifications. The mold and detail quality is anywhere from poor (the old 4-5 figure kits) to really well done (any of the newer kits). Tamiya figure kits can be found from $5 to $18 anywhere from your LHS, internet hobby suppliers or (the sometimes dreaded) eBay. That's just my recommendation!