In most of my friends who enjoy traveling I see a certain histeria, a mixing of their expectations with reality that is really uncomfortable to be around (like hearing "this is paradise" to a landscape that is really familiar; like "checkpointing" by taking pictures of landmarks and signs and trivial activities everybody does; like calling fast-food "wonderful" because it comes in a pretty plate from a waiter who doesn't speak your language; etc).
In my case, I find that feeling of uncertainty on arriving at a new country to be exhilarating. I feel so comfortable in my day-to-day life, that it's rare that I really need to think much about my environment. Whenever I travel it makes me think about my existence a bit differently; that is the real value I get from travel.
Travel can be cheaper than being at home, depending on where you go and where you live. And in response to your fear of being robbed; just don't travel with much of anything and get travel insurance. The worst that can happen is that you'll end up without a passport somewhere and have to go through some bureaucratic process to get a new one.
I find traveling to be a great way to expand your view of the world. Living in Bangalore for 6 weeks changed me forever.
That's exactly why you should travel to learn about the world outside of your immediate cocoon.