It depends on your business model. If your business model does not include strong growth, you have the option to organically growing your dev team from smart a

It depends on your business model. If your business model does not include strong growth, you have the option to organically growing your dev team from smart and less experienced people over the course of many years. If your business model includes VERY strong growth, paying top dollar to hire experienced people may be a necessity. Large numbers of experienced people can (more or less) only be found in SF/SV. It might cost 4X as much, but it can offer a potential payoff 10X or 20X or 40X as great. (At least that is what the VCs are looking for.) And many businesses live in between these extremes, where the optimal choice is unclear. Choose wisely.