Bangkok
1,569 km²
Nairobi
696 km²
Thailand
Kenya
Area Comparison
Bangkok is 2.3x larger than Nairobi
Population Comparison
Bangkok has 2.2x more people than Nairobi
In terms of area, Bangkok is 2.3x the size of Nairobi. Bangkok spans 1,569 km² (606 mi²) while Nairobi covers 696 km² (269 mi²) — a difference of 873 km². You could fit Nairobi inside Bangkok approximately 2 times.
To put Bangkok's size in perspective, its area of 1,569 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, Nairobi at 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City.
Picture Bangkok another way: its area is large enough to fit about 220,000 American football fields, 27 times the area of Manhattan, or 15 times the area of Paris. Nairobi works out to about 97,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris.
Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated population of 11.4 million people as of 2024, 15.9% of the country's population.
Known as "City of Angels", Bangkok covers 1,569 km² with a population of 10.5 million. The city was established in 1782. Bangkok is known for Grand Palace, Wat Arun, Wat Pho, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the BTS Skytrain & MRT.
Bangkok's official Thai name is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, with the full ceremonial name being one of the longest place names in the world.
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya, located in the south-central part of the country. As of 2024, it has a population of 4.8 million and a metropolitan population of 5.7 million, making it the 11th most populous city in Africa. Nicknamed the "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi is uniquely notable for being the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries. Its name originates from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, meaning "place of cool waters".
Also known as "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi has an area of 696 km² and is home to 4.7 million people. It was established in 1899. Visitors come for Nairobi National Park, Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Nairobi Commuter Rail.
Nairobi is the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries.
Looking beyond city limits, the Bangkok metropolitan area covers 7,762 km², which is 11.2x larger than greater Nairobi at 696 km². The Bangkok metro area is also more populous, with 16.2 million people compared to 4.7 million.
Bangkok has a population density of 6,718 people per km² — a densely populated city. Nairobi, with 6,796 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Nairobi is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Bangkok in Asia versus Nairobi in Africa. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Bangkok has a tropical savanna climate while Nairobi experiences subtropical highland conditions. Summers are notably different: Bangkok averages 30°C compared to 20°C in Nairobi. When it's noon in Bangkok, it's 8:00 AM in Nairobi — a 4-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Nairobi fits inside Bangkok ~2 times
Time Difference
4 hours apart
History
Bangkok is ~117 years older
Bangkok covers 1,569 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include London (1,572 km²), Bogotá (1,578 km²), São Paulo (1,521 km²), Johannesburg (1,644 km²), or Mexico City (1,485 km²).
Nairobi covers 696 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Tehran (730 km²), Jakarta (662 km²), Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Bangkok to Nairobi is 7,210 km (4,480 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~8h 59m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.