bwh

Julien Blache: "You’ll be pleased to learn that a release manager needs $6000 USD to cover for living expenses for a month."

Sounds high, right? But we're talking about contractors, not employees. Contractors have to cover certain expenses that are generally paid for by employers, such as (depending on jurisdiction):

Sales tax/VAT on receipts
Payroll tax
Health insurance
Unemployment insurance
Pension contributions
Vacation time

and in this case, their own equipment. (But they save on transport!)

Besides which, you have little idea how much Steve or Andi might need to pay in mortgage repayments or rent, or how many dependents they have. Nor should we pry into these personal circumstances.