Barcelona
101 km²
Boston
232 km²
Spain
USA
Area Comparison
Barcelona is 2.3x smaller than Boston
Population Comparison
Barcelona has 2.4x more people than Boston
Boston is significantly larger, covering 2.3 times the area of Barcelona. Boston spans 232 km² (90 mi²) while Barcelona covers 101 km² (39 mi²) — a difference of 131 km². You could fit Barcelona inside Boston approximately 2 times.
To put Barcelona's size in perspective, its area of 101 km² is roughly the same size as Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, Boston at 232 km² is roughly the same size as Amsterdam.
In more relatable units, Barcelona's 101 km² is about 14,000 American football fields, 50 times the area of Monaco, or 30 times the area of Central Park. Boston, by comparison, equals about 32,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 68 times the area of Central Park.
Barcelona is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.7 million within city limits, its urban area extends to numerous neighbouring municipalities within the province of Barcelona and is home to around 5.7 million people, making it the fifth most populous urban area of the European Union after Paris, the Ruhr area, Madrid and Milan.
Known as "Ciutat Comtal", Barcelona covers 101 km² with a population of 1.7 million. The city was founded around 230 BC. Barcelona is known for Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, La Rambla, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Barcelona Metro (TMB).
Barcelona is the second-most populous municipality in Spain and the capital of the autonomous community of Catalonia.
Boston is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It serves as a cultural and financial center of New England, a region of the Northeastern United States. Boston has an area of 48.4 sq mi (125 km2) and a population of 675,647 as of the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in the Northeastern United States after New York City and Philadelphia.
Nicknamed "Beantown", Boston has an area of 232 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1630. Visitors come for Fenway Park, Freedom Trail, Harvard University, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MBTA (The T).
Boston covers just 125 km2 yet serves as the cultural and financial heart of all New England
Looking beyond city limits, the Boston metropolitan area covers 11,700 km², which is 14.6x larger than greater Barcelona at 803 km². The Barcelona metro area is also more populous, with 5.6 million people compared to 4.9 million.
Barcelona has a population density of 16,436 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Boston, with 2,931 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Barcelona is dramatically more crowded, with 5.6x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Barcelona in Europe versus Boston in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate while Boston experiences humid continental conditions. When it's noon in Barcelona, it's 6:00 AM in Boston — a 6-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Barcelona fits inside Boston ~2 times
Density Gap
Barcelona is 5.6x more densely populated
Time Difference
6 hours apart
History
Barcelona is ~1,860 years older
Barcelona covers 101 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Lisbon (100 km²), Paris (105 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), Vancouver (115 km²), or Zurich (88 km²).
Boston covers 232 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Osaka (225 km²), Kuala Lumpur (243 km²), Amsterdam (219 km²), Helsinki (214 km²), or Edinburgh (259 km²).
The straight-line distance from Barcelona to Boston is 5,864 km (3,644 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~7h 24m.
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