Again, all live/lived in pretty different societies. But like I said, I do get your point. It all depends (speaking from a Christian/Protestant/Evangelical perspective) on the ministry, I guess.
Plus, His ministry was a bit different than mere pastorship, so he couldn't exactly stay in place too long. But I get it. Living off charity can be possible, but if God places you in a location for a decade or two, maybe having a place of residence isn't too bad.
I think I know where you're coming from, and I do agree to some extent, but being a Pastor (the proverbial shepherd of the flock) can be an extensive full-time job that goes far beyond the Sunday morning sermon. And especially if the Pastor has a family, that can put quite a bit of strain on him if he has to work a full-time job in addition. Some well-established Churches do provide at the very least a modest house with reduced or eliminated expenses (parsonages), but either way, I do think there should be some compensation for voluntarily serving in that level of Spiritual or Biblical leadership