Beijing
16,411 km²
San Francisco
121 km²
China
USA
Area Comparison
Beijing is 135.6x larger than San Francisco
Population Comparison
Beijing has 24.8x more people than San Francisco
Beijing is significantly larger, covering 135.6 times the area of San Francisco. Beijing spans 16,411 km² (6,336 mi²) while San Francisco covers 121 km² (47 mi²) — a difference of 16,290 km². You could fit San Francisco inside Beijing approximately 135 times.
To put Beijing's size in perspective, its area of 16,411 km² is about 2.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, San Francisco at 121 km² is about 1.2x the size of Paris (city proper).
In more relatable units, Beijing's 16,411 km² is about 2,300,000 American football fields, 160 times the area of Paris, or 140 times the area of San Francisco. For San Francisco, that's about 17,000 American football fields, 60 times the area of Monaco, or 35 times the area of Central Park.
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.
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the fourth-most populous city in California and the 17th-most populous in the United States, with a population of 826,079 in 2025. Among U.S. cities with a population of 300,000 or more, San Francisco is ranked first by per capita income, second by population density, and sixth by aggregate income as of 2023.
Nicknamed "The City by the Bay", San Francisco has an area of 121 km² and is home to 0.9 million people. The city dates back to 1776. Visitors come for Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Cable cars, and much more. Getting around is easy with the BART & Muni.
San Francisco ranks first by per capita income among all US cities with 300,000+ residents as of 2023.
Looking beyond city limits, the Beijing metropolitan area covers 16,411 km², which is 2.3x larger than greater San Francisco at 6,984 km². The Beijing metro area is also more populous, with 21.5 million people compared to 4.7 million.
Beijing has a population density of 1,313 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. San Francisco, with 7,190 people per km², is a densely populated city. San Francisco is dramatically more crowded, with 5.5x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Beijing in Asia versus San Francisco 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 San Francisco experiences Mediterranean conditions. Summers are notably different: Beijing averages 27°C compared to 17°C in San Francisco. When it's noon in Beijing, it's midnight in San Francisco — a 16-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
San Francisco fits inside Beijing ~135 times
Density Gap
San Francisco is 5.5x more densely populated
Time Difference
16 hours apart
History
Beijing is ~2,821 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).
San Francisco covers 121 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Vancouver (115 km²), Paris (105 km²), Miami (143 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), or Lisbon (100 km²).
The straight-line distance from Beijing to San Francisco is 9,503 km (5,905 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 41m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.