I like Auckland better than most places in NZ I've been to, maybe it's a city for city-people and that's why. If you end up with some choices then I wish you all the best but it sounds like either of the possibilities will work out a good place to start for you.
(if you do leave Auckland and can't take your fish, please ask your pygmies if they would like to enter my fish farm, some hot babes up for grabs in there )