Unless you badly need the job, take the risk. The company will get to pay a lower wage if and when they find another candidate they like who's willing to take

Unless you badly need the job, take the risk. The company will get to pay a lower wage if and when they find another candidate they like who's willing to take it. For the moment they have you; they may or may not have someone else. Their strategy could net them someone with your skills for less, but playing that game comes with risk and costs them time and money in the short term even if they win. If you reduce your bid because they might find someone cheaper, you guarantee they get their best-case outcome at no cost with zero risk, at your expense. They're hoping you'll assume the market doesn't bear your price. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. You don't find out unless you ask.