For me as a software engineer who could move anywhere in the world, relative living costs never mattered, only absolute savings, as I can use it in any country,

For me as a software engineer who could move anywhere in the world, relative living costs never mattered, only absolute savings, as I can use it in any country, which is salary minus living cost. Zurich gave me the best savings, but I think many people (including great software developers in China) think similarly.