Knowing your budget and if you mind commuting would help
Spinningfields if you're loaded
Castlefield still expensive but cheaper or you could go across the river to Salford side and it gets even cheaper
Salford Quays if you don't mind cycling/ get a tram though it's still only 30-40min walk depending where in centre you'll be working. When it's nice weather like now it feels like being on holiday. Since BBC moved here, there're lot more bars and restaurants but our favorite place for drink is still Beefetear. You can sit outside and watch people doing water sports fall into water.
It gets busy on match days when United are playing at home so need to add some time to travel or plan around it on those days.
Then you have Green Quarter, Ancoats and New Insligton north of the centre that are popular but I don't really know those areas.