Hi Mother Bear:
I'm really not a materialistic person at all. That being said, I would be hard-pressed to not constantly have my computer or guitar with me at all times.
Thanks for the taxation link, I will read up on that.
I think the most important things for me living in an area is cost of living, the neighborhood and any sort of public transportation. Is Auckland City a good place to start my research? Also, I've been in the IT industry since 2000, so I would need to live in a place with a strong computing market.
Regards.