Apartments, on the whole, are similar to what you would expect in western countries with one exception, the addition of household staff quarters. These usually consist of a small bedroom and a bathroom situated off the kitchen and laundry areas. In this arrangement, the door between the kitchen and the rest of the house can be locked, yet the household staff still have free access to the kitchen and laundry work areas as well as access to enter or leave the apartment. This can be beneficial for your privacy, but can also prove to be an additional security problem since the household staff will probably hold a key. Apartments range in size from studio to 5 bedrooms.
Penthouses can have up to four bedrooms plus sitting room, living room and terraces.
The predominant feature of penthouses, besides their larger size, is that they are multilevel. Normally, rent for the entire contract period is paid in advance with the addition of a security deposit. Therefore, if your lease is for two years you must pay the entire two years up front. This can often be negotiated to pay on a periodic basis. Be sure to explore all pricing possibilities thoroughly.