Can't agree more. Hiring in Silicon Valley for early-stage startups now is impossible. Total Compensation numbers for software engineering is skyrocketing and you'll never be able to compete with FAANG companies. Sad reality but expected.
my total monthly expenses are roughly 3500/month so I am able to save almost 50% of my post tax income.
and the USD salaries would put you in the very very top earners of the population. Though sourcing enough devs here would be tricky for anything beyond 10 people if you actually wanted to outsource to NZ.