Boston
232 km²
Lisbon
100 km²
USA
Portugal
Area Comparison
Boston is 2.3x larger than Lisbon
Population Comparison
Boston has 1.2x more people than Lisbon
Boston is significantly larger, covering 2.3 times the area of Lisbon. Boston spans 232 km² (90 mi²) while Lisbon covers 100 km² (39 mi²) — a difference of 132 km². You could fit Lisbon inside Boston approximately 2 times.
To put Boston's size in perspective, its area of 232 km² is roughly the same size as Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Lisbon at 100 km² is roughly the same size as Paris (city proper).
Picture Boston another way: its area is large enough to fit about 32,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 68 times the area of Central Park. Lisbon, by comparison, equals about 14,000 American football fields, 50 times the area of Monaco, or 29 times the area of Central Park.
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.
Known as "Beantown", Boston covers 232 km² with a population of 0.7 million. The city was established in 1630. Boston is known for Fenway Park, Freedom Trail, Harvard University, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the MBTA (The T).
Boston covers just 125 km2 yet serves as the cultural and financial heart of all New England
Lisbon is the capital and most populous city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 575,739 as of 2024, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city, and the only one along the Atlantic coast, the others being on islands. The city lies in the western portion of the Iberian Peninsula, on the northern shore of the River Tagus.
Also known as "City of Seven Hills", Lisbon has an area of 100 km² and is home to 0.6 million people. The city dates back to 1200 BC. Visitors come for Belém Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, Tram 28, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Lisbon Metro.
Lisbon is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city and the only European capital along the Atlantic coast.
Looking beyond city limits, the Boston metropolitan area covers 11,700 km², which is 3.9x larger than greater Lisbon at 3,015 km². The Boston metro area is also more populous, with 4.9 million people compared to 2.9 million.
Boston has a population density of 2,931 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Lisbon, with 5,500 people per km², is a densely populated city. Lisbon is noticeably denser, packing 1.9 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Boston in North America versus Lisbon in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Boston has a humid continental climate while Lisbon experiences Mediterranean conditions. When it's noon in Lisbon, it's 7:00 AM in Boston — a 5-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Lisbon fits inside Boston ~2 times
Density Gap
Lisbon is 1.9x more densely populated
Time Difference
5 hours apart
History
Lisbon is ~2,830 years older
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).
Lisbon covers 100 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Barcelona (101 km²), Paris (105 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), Zurich (88 km²), or Vancouver (115 km²).
The straight-line distance from Boston to Lisbon is 5,131 km (3,188 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~6h 32m.
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