I think you’re exactly right. I think those two things are the same thing. Let me say it this way:
The cost is high because it’s worth it, because the price of ZEC increased.
Let me invite this thought experiment:
If the price of ZEC were 0 ZEC/USD.. what would be the value of pepper-sync?
I suspect we can all agree that it would be roughly 0.
Would you claim in that case, that the designers and implementors of pepper-sync ought to receive $345,600.00?
What if we had paid 50 people minimum wage to pound a patch of dirt with sticks until the funds ran out?
Would you then say that we should receive $345,600.00 (worth of ZEC) ?
I suspect that you would answer “No” to those questions. In doing so, you are accepting to alternative which is that “Yes” in fact the value of a thing that enhances ZEC is indeed proportional to the value of ZEC.
Here’s another example of the same argument being made by @joshs Bootstrap Org / Electric Coin Company - #38 by joshs .