We spent the better part of six months building our team and we had quotes all over the board.
Top quote was $2,500 GBP for a cover by a UK artist.
Top quote for a finished B&W manga by a studio that promos itself heavily was $80,000 USD for 200 pages.
So yeah, neither have any hope of ever being profitable. But it's a free market so everyone is welcome to ask whatever they want. What is "fair" is what both parties agree upon as being a fair trade.
It's a fine balancing line. You have to charge enough to feel that you are being adequately compensated but not so much that you never get any work.