Where am I supposed to live in Wellington, New Zealand?!?!?!?

My boyfriend has an IT job lined up in New Zealand; the company is in Wellington. Here in the U.S. you rent an apartment (usually empty of furniture and supplies) and pay by the month. We're learning that in NZ you rent by the week and everything is furnished, even utensils and pots and pans!! Is this how it is? How is renting an apartment and staying in a hotel in New Zealand different than it is the U.S. ???

There are apartments for rent in central Wellington, but most renters live in flats (shared or alone) that are in standalone houses.

Depending on where your job is, there are several suburbs within walking distance of the city (Mt Victoria, Thorndon, Kelburn, Oriental Bay), but flats in these parts of town tend to be more expensive. If you have a car, there are far more options of places to live.

Rental flats are available both furnished and unfurnished. However, most places have whiteware supplied.

Wellington is a compact city - the average commute to work is 16 minutes. Check out rental properties on trademe.co.nz - they also have maps etc... This will give you an idea.

Yea you do pay by the week here in NZ but dont worry about that because you generally getr paid by the week so it works out to be better as for them being fully furnished i am not to sure in that as i live in a smaller town nearer Auckland and the houses here are not furnished however in wellington in an apartment that may be different have you looked into any places if you havent try
www.trademe.co.nz
www.allrealestate.co.nz
And these may give you an idea on what you get.

A holiday apartment is set up furnished with everything you need but a rental place you usually have a contract for 6 or 12 months and pay weekly. Hotels are much the same anywhere in the world

Hey, I lived in Wellington for six months (I'm from Vancouver CA) and lived with three other roommates in a house...I don't remember seeing many apartments...it's not like North America with tons of apartment buildings....most pple seem to live together with roommates in rental houses.

Rent rates are by the week, but we paid by the month I think (they'll say rent is $150/week but then you'll pay the total at the end of the month)...my place wasn't furnished

Hotels are the same as in North America

If you have more questions - want to know about more differences, similarities ect, then feel free to send me an email!