You live in Poland? Country or City? Google estimated a 60 square meter 2br condo in Warsaw costs an average of $260k. So a $240k bonus, after paying taxes, leaves you with $145 in Poland, so no, you could not likely get a condo in Warsaw with a $240k bonus. I'm sure if you live well outside a major city that changes.
And, the bigger point is, even if you could afford a house, is that life changing? Would your life style change because you bought a house? Or, would it just basically be the same life style as before except you now own a house?
To me, life changing amount of money means an amount that changes my life style. That could mean, an amount that lets me retire and never work again. Or an amount that lets me quit and start my own company. Or quit and go back to school. Or quit and travel for a few years. Something alone those lines, having my "life change". Buying an apartment but having my life remain the same, same job, same hours, same activities, is not "life changing" to me.
I fully admit a $240k bonus ($140k after taxes) it could be life changing for others. If I'd been 19yrs old when my living expenses were $20k year, then $140k in the bank would have let me go ~7yrs without a job. Unfortunately my 19yr old self would have probably blown 30% on a car, 20% on travel or other things, 10-20% on random equipment like a new gaming rig or cameras and lens and then in a few months I'd be back where I was. And, even if I did manage to not blow it and do the 7 years, what else could I have done. Could I started a company and hired people? How many could I afford to hire and for how long? Would it be enough to not just lose the money or would have needed more than $140k?
Why pick Warsaw? It's like using London as an example when someone lives in the UK - it's not representative of a country. I'm from the South of Poland, 145k after taxes gets you a big house with plenty of land, not a condo.
>>Buying an apartment but having my life remain the same, same job, same hours, same activities, is not "life changing" to me.
That's a weird definition,most people would consider not having to worry about housing pretty life changing. But you know, you're free to have any definition you want. "Having enough money to retire and not work" isn't the goal for all of us. I'd rather keep working and making more money, but not having to worry about a mortgage would be pretty life changing(for me).
Owning a house does not mean you stop worrying about housing. Property taxes, maintenance, insurance, HOA fees etc add up to rent.
I feel like we're just going to keep moving goalposts further and further and further. Home ownership is the dream of a lot of people - being able to buy a house outright or just put a deposit down is life changing for some people. I assume for a lot of people on HN it really is that 150k is nice but not life changing - I appreciate that there are a lot of very well paid people here.
As for worry about housing - when renting the landlord can kick you out almost at any time - you live in a constant fear that due to someone's whim you might have to move. If you own a house(even with a mortgage) that is generally lot less likely to happen. But honestly, I don't know why I'm explaining this.