With 4 years of experience, even if I rate myself as a 5 on self-assessed skill (I'm certainly not), the salary offered for New York is far, far below anything

With 4 years of experience, even if I rate myself as a 5 on self-assessed skill (I'm certainly not), the salary offered for New York is far, far below anything I'd consider, and significantly below even what other start-ups offer (not including equity) in New York. I do not understand how they are able to hire experienced workers who agree to face the cost of living of New York at these salary levels. It is simply too low to be worthwhile.