A budget of 750,000 euros buys two very different properties in Ireland at the moment. In Dublin 8, the sum covers a three-bedroom terraced house in the Portobello area. In County Meath, the same money gets a detached four-bedroom home in open countryside outside Slane. The Dublin terrace puts its owner within easy reach of the city centre, at the cost of sharing walls with neighbours. The Meath house delivers more rooms, a garden and privacy, but adds a long daily commute into the equation. Set side by side, the listings show how far a fixed sum stretches in the capital compared with the countryside. For buyers, the real choice comes down to lifestyle rather than price.