Beijing
16,411 km²
Mexico City
1,485 km²
China
Mexico
Area Comparison
Beijing is 11.1x larger than Mexico City
Population Comparison
Beijing has 2.3x more people than Mexico City
Yes — Beijing is 11.1x larger than Mexico City by area. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while Mexico City covers 1,485 km² (573 mi²) — a difference of 14,926 km². You could fit Mexico City inside Beijing approximately 11 times.
To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Mexico City at 1,485 km² is roughly the same size as London.
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. Mexico City works out to about 208,000 American football fields, 25 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 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.
Mexico City is the capital and most populous city of Mexico, as well as the most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and financial centers in the world, and is classified as an Alpha world city according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) 2024 ranking. Mexico City is located in the Valley of Mexico within the high Mexican central plateau, at an altitude of 2,240 meters.
Nicknamed "CDMX", Mexico City has an area of 1,485 km² and is home to 9.2 million people. Its history stretches back to 1325. Visitors come for Zocalo square, Chapultepec Park, Frida Kahlo Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Mexico City Metro.
Mexico City sits at an altitude of 2,240 meters in the Valley of Mexico on the high Mexican central plateau.
Looking beyond city limits, the Beijing metropolitan area covers 16,411 km², which is 2.1x larger than greater Mexico City at 7,854 km². The Mexico City metro area is also more populous, with 21.8 million people compared to 21.5 million.
Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Mexico City, with 6,202 people per km², is a densely populated city. Mexico City is dramatically more crowded, with 4.7x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Beijing in Asia versus Mexico City in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Beijing has a humid continental climate while Mexico City experiences subtropical highland conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Mexico City stays around 13°C while Beijing drops to -3°C. When it's noon in Beijing, it's midnight in Mexico City — a 14-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Mexico City fits inside Beijing ~11 times
Density Gap
Mexico City is 4.7x more densely populated
Time Difference
14 hours apart
History
Beijing is ~2,370 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).
Mexico City covers 1,485 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Delhi (1,484 km²), São Paulo (1,521 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bogotá (1,578 km²).
The straight-line distance from Beijing to Mexico City is 12,458 km (7,741 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~15h 9m.
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