Practice varies a lot. In many countries, monthly bank transfer from a local account is so standard that landlords simply expect it, and some contracts specify it; in other markets, cash with receipts or other methods remain common and nobody blinks at a foreigner paying differently for the first months. What landlords universally care about is reliability, so the real question is showing you can pay on time, not the specific rail.
The practical wrinkle for newcomers is the chicken-and-egg problem: you often need an address for the bank account and an account for the apartment.
Two cautions: international transfers can carry fees and exchange spreads on both ends, so they're a bridge rather than a permanent solution, and never pay large sums in untraceable cash without a signed receipt naming the amount and purpose.