I'd suggest you find a place to sublet (for 1-3 months, probably a room in someone's apartment) when you first get here. This should be a pretty easy to find in the
craigslist sublet section. This lets you get a much more accurate feel for scoping out different neighborhoods you might want to live in, as well as how much you'd like to pay in rent and what kind of living situation you'll feel most comfortable in (alone/roommates, studio/one-bedroom, walk-up/doorman building, etc.)
You'll definitely get a lot of advice and opinions that may seem overwhelming because there are just so many options. When I first moved to New York I lived in a sublet for a few months on the Upper East Side and it really helped me figure out where I wanted to live (mainly, not on the Upper East Side.)
If it matters, here are the places I've lived in NYC
-1 bedroom in a large 3-bedroom in a doorman building, West Village/Meatpacking district, $1300/month
-1 bedroom in a small converted 2-bedroom in a doorman building, East Village, $1075/month
-crappy 4th floor walkup studio in a crappy building in a crappy part of Williamsburg, near slum-like conditions but suitable for me at the time, $875/month (!)
-(present) decent-sized prewar (but nicely renovated) studio in the East Village, 3rd floor walkup, $1495/month