That’s not entirely clear. Certainly even in the US it’s more “efficient” if tech were anywhere but SF, but that’s not the case. Trade happens when countries agree to it, according to local taxes imposed, etc. China and Mexico did not have the manufacturing might they do now before trade deals allowed that flow, combined with a cultural trend in management to “outsource” everything and local in China and Mexico strategy to be that source (by doing things like heavily subsidizing energy, shipping, etc.)
There are lots of economic factors that make SF the most efficient place to open an office, cheap land and labor are not those reasons.
Yes, we're in agreement that China and Mexico have benefitted from our trade policies at the expense of millions of Americans losing their high paying union jobs where they had a stake in the value of production. Of course the financiers on Wall Street were happy to send those good jobs to desperate people in poorer countries. But maybe we could find a better balance between benefitting Wall Street and benefitting Main Street.
