Barcelona
101 km²
Chicago
606 km²
Spain
USA
Area Comparison
Barcelona is 6.0x smaller than Chicago
Population Comparison
Barcelona has 1.6x fewer people than Chicago
In terms of area, Chicago is 6.0x the size of Barcelona. Chicago spans 606 km² (234 mi²) while Barcelona covers 101 km² (39 mi²) — a difference of 505 km². You could fit Barcelona inside Chicago approximately 6 times.
To put Barcelona's size in perspective, its area of 101 km² is roughly the same size as Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, Chicago at 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
Picture Barcelona another way: its area is large enough to fit about 14,000 American football fields, 50 times the area of Monaco, or 30 times the area of Central Park. Chicago, by comparison, equals about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
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.
Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the third-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.74 million at the 2020 census. The Chicago metropolitan area has 9.41 million residents and is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country. Chicago is the seat of Cook County, the second-most populous county in the U.S.
Nicknamed "The Windy City", Chicago has an area of 606 km² and is home to 2.7 million people. It was established in 1833. Visitors come for Willis Tower, Millennium Park Bean, Navy Pier, and much more. Getting around is easy with the CTA (L train).
Chicago is the third-most populous city in the United States with 2.74 million residents at the 2020 census.
Looking beyond city limits, the Chicago metropolitan area covers 28,160 km², which is 35.1x larger than greater Barcelona at 803 km². The Chicago metro area is also more populous, with 9.5 million people compared to 5.6 million.
Barcelona has a population density of 16,436 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Chicago, with 4,455 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Barcelona is dramatically more crowded, with 3.7x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Barcelona in Europe versus Chicago in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate while Chicago experiences humid continental conditions. When it's noon in Barcelona, it's 5:00 AM in Chicago — a 7-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Barcelona fits inside Chicago ~6 times
Density Gap
Barcelona is 3.7x more densely populated
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Barcelona is ~2,063 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).
Chicago covers 606 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Madrid (604 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Barcelona to Chicago is 7,081 km (4,400 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~8h 50m.
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