It's AWS Redshift in particular, in Berlin. My background in data volume and query optimization, along with compiler development, made me a particular fit. The Google job is actually a worse fit, focusing mostly on data volume, schema management and APIs. But I probably won't be in the same role indefinitely.
Why Berlin vs Zurich decision was hard: in part the cost of living (e.g. childcare) in Zurich, the fact it's outside the EU (e.g. very little consumer protection, less consumer choice, a hard border with customs), and the relative conservatism of society leading to a lot of things which make it harder for women to work: early closing of shops (not that different to Berlin to be sure), apartment living and limitations on running washing machines (if you don't have a housewife to do laundry during the day), school finishing early on Wednesdays and 2 hour lunches where children are expected to go home and eat (housewife again), etc. My partner half-jokes that we should get a housewife or maybe one each.
Oh and recycling religion which I don't buy into - I reckon there are very few things which it makes sense to recycle heavily - primarily metals - but Switzerland promotes it as a virtue. Sorting recycling materials does not make me feel virtuous; it makes me want to pay someone to remove the problem. This isn't that much different to Germany though.
I reckon the AWS salary in Berlin would have put me higher in the income distribution for the city than the Google salary in Zurich, but overall, even accounting for higher costs, I expect to have a lot more disposable income in Zurich. Taxes, for one thing, are lower - though where you live can make a substantial difference.
Lifestyle as in nightlife, restaurants, multiculturalism etc.: not such a big deal to me right now with a 12 month old kid. As a motorcyclist I like the idea of the Alps and less crime. I've had 6 motorcycles taken in London, including one bikejacking at a stop light and not including an attempted bikejacking where I outran my pursuers to help. For younger single people I think Berlin would be a better choice. We already had much of that experience in London before Brexit though.
Zurich is also much closer to western Europe. Munich, Milan and Paris (surprisingly) are 4 hours by train. Berlin is almost in Poland. From my EUrail trip in the 2000s, I recall acutely how pleasant it was to be in Switzerland after having gone through most of the ex Eastern Block countries, to Greece, then ferry to Italy and up over the Alps.