Beijing
16,411 km²
Ho Chi Minh City
2,061 km²
China
Vietnam
Area Comparison
Beijing is 8.0x larger than Ho Chi Minh City
Population Comparison
Beijing has 2.4x more people than Ho Chi Minh City
In terms of area, Beijing is 8.0x the size of Ho Chi Minh City. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Ho Chi Minh City covers 2,061 km² (796 mi²) — a difference of 14,350 km². You could fit Ho Chi Minh City inside Beijing approximately 7 times.
To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City at 2,061 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
Picture Beijing another way: its area is large enough to fit about 2,300,000 American football fields, 160 times the area of Paris, or 140 times the area of San Francisco. Ho Chi Minh City, by comparison, equals about 289,000 American football fields, 35 times the area of Manhattan, or 20 times the area of Paris.
Beijing, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's most populous national capital city, as well as China's second-largest city by urban area, after Shanghai. It is located in Northern China, and is governed as a municipality under the direct administration of the State Council with 16 urban districts.
Known as "Northern Capital", Beijing covers 16,411 km² with a population of 21.5 million. The city was founded around 1045 BC. Beijing is known for Forbidden City, Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Beijing Subway.
With over 22 million residents, Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city.
Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is the most populous municipality of Vietnam, with a population of more than 14 million in 2025. Its geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigon River. As the largest financial centre in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has the largest gross regional domestic product out of all Vietnam provinces and municipalities, contributing around a quarter of the country's total GDP.
Nicknamed "Saigon", Ho Chi Minh City has an area of 2,061 km² and is home to 9.0 million people. The city dates back to 1698. Visitors come for Independence Palace, Bitexco Financial Tower, War Remnants Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the HCMC Metro (opening 2024).
Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's largest financial center and contributes around a quarter of the country's total GDP.
Looking beyond city limits, the Beijing metropolitan area covers 16,411 km², which is 8.0x larger than greater Ho Chi Minh City at 2,061 km². The Beijing metro area is also more populous, with 21.5 million people compared to 9.0 million.
Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Ho Chi Minh City, with 4,362 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Ho Chi Minh City is dramatically more crowded, with 3.3x the population density.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Beijing (China) and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Beijing has a humid continental climate while Ho Chi Minh City experiences tropical savanna conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Ho Chi Minh City stays around 27°C while Beijing drops to -3°C.
Size Ratio
Ho Chi Minh City fits inside Beijing ~7 times
Density Gap
Ho Chi Minh City is 3.3x more densely populated
History
Beijing is ~2,743 years older
Beijing covers 16,411 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hangzhou (16,854 km²), Brisbane (15,826 km²), Chengdu (14,378 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), or Xi'an (10,097 km²).
Ho Chi Minh City covers 2,061 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Shenzhen (1,997 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Riyadh (1,798 km²), Cape Town (2,455 km²), or Houston (1,725 km²).
The straight-line distance from Beijing to Ho Chi Minh City is 3,374 km (2,097 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~4h 28m.
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