The learning curve really isn't bad from Unix to Unix OSes and any of the additional stuff is really no different from the undertaking for learning about macOS.

The learning curve really isn't bad from Unix to Unix OSes and any of the additional stuff is really no different from the undertaking for learning about macOS. You propose it's costing you $200 per hour, but actually you're also gaining real skills too that you may have otherwise paid for. Once you have a decent setup you really don't spend much time learning anything additional. If you run into issues, there is a wealth of help out there and if you really get stuck you can simply peek under the hood, even make some changes.