Well fortunately we don't have to decide salaries based on what a founder's self-serving definition of "totally reasonable" is
Except that's not the case. Those numbers are what the market is signaling and apparently the OP doesn't like it. That's my point.
The OP is saying, the market isn't offering enough. I say, well apparently it is otherwise it would be higher. So it much be good enough for most people.
I think you might be making the classic mistake of thinking the market is equal to what people advertise on the Internet. As I've heard a million times on Pawn Stars, "Anyone can ask for anything on the Internet. What are they selling for?"
I work in Delaware and $110k per year salary for software engineers would be an average salary for someone with some experience. According to a cost of living calculator, someone making $110k per year in Wilmington, DE would need to make $170k per year in San Francisco for the same standard of living.
San Francisco has the "sun tax" which means that salaries don't keep up with the cost of living. Its climate is much more pleasant than Delaware so people are willing to sacrifice financially to live there. That results in a lower ratio of average salary to cost of living.
There's no accounting for taste... If anything I would say Delaware's climate is better. Sure they get an occasional snow, but it actually gets warm enough in summer to wear shorts, and they don't have so much fog...
Also when it's sunny many people like to go to the beach and swim in the ocean. For water temps above 62 F, don't go to SF.
Except that's not the case. Those numbers are what the market is signaling and apparently the OP doesn't like it. That's my point.
The OP is saying, the market isn't offering enough. I say, well apparently it is otherwise it would be higher. So it much be good enough for most people.