dear rana,
i have reached canada, i will recommend you that never book apartment/accommodation before landing because there are many things as new comer which you have to keep in mind before renting the accommodation like proximity of amenities like market, public transport and many other things. if you any friend or relative who can accommodate for 7 to 10 days it will be the best. come here and search and you will make a reasonable deal by yourself. basement should be the last option, it's not recommended because ventilation and noise of upper tenets is the main problem and if basement is of a house then it will be horrible in winter when you have to remove snow by yourself, however, in apartments it's not the case, building manager has to look all the things. i don't know what will be the size of your family but you can get a reason 2 bedroom apartment in 800-850 dollars on ground or upper floor. here convention is opposite as you up rent also go up
i mean rent increases with the level. high level pays more because here people prefer upper floors due to ventilation and light. laptop is your own choice you can buy it from any where, however, laptop are cheaper in pakistan. if you don't have plan to buy a car immediately then do rent the accommodation near train station or transit centre.
DON'T COME WITHOUT INTERNATIONAL DRIVING LICENSE. LIFE IS HORRIBLE IF DON'T HAVE A CAR.
feel free to ask any question if you in your mind.