Brussels
161 km²
Madrid
604 km²
Belgium
Spain
Area Comparison
Brussels is 3.8x smaller than Madrid
Population Comparison
Brussels has 2.6x fewer people than Madrid
Yes — Madrid is 3.8x larger than Brussels by area. Madrid spans 604 km² (233 mi²) while Brussels covers 161 km² (62 mi²) — a difference of 443 km². You could fit Brussels inside Madrid approximately 3 times.
To put Brussels's size in perspective, its area of 161 km² is roughly the same size as Washington D.C.. Meanwhile, Madrid at 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
Picture Brussels another way: its area is large enough to fit about 23,000 American football fields, 80 times the area of Monaco, or 47 times the area of Central Park. For Madrid, that's about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities, including the City of Brussels, which is the capital of Belgium. The Brussels-Capital Region is located in the central portion of the country. It is a part of both the French Community of Belgium and the Flemish Community, and is separate from the Flemish Region (Flanders), within which it forms an enclave, and the Walloon Region (Wallonia), located less than 4 km (2.5 mi) south.
Known as "Capital of Europe", Brussels covers 161 km² with a population of 1.3 million. The city was established in 1989. Brussels is known for Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Atomium, among other attractions.
The Brussels-Capital Region comprises 19 municipalities and forms an enclave entirely within the Flemish Region.
Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. It had a population of over 3.4 million in the city proper in 2025, and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.8 million. Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU, after Paris. The municipality covers an area of 605.77 square kilometres (233.89 sq mi).
Often called "La Villa y Corte", Madrid has an area of 604 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. Its history stretches back to 852. Visitors come for Royal Palace of Madrid, Prado Museum, Plaza Mayor, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Madrid Metro.
Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union after Berlin, with over 3.4 million residents in the city proper
Brussels has a population density of 7,826 people per km² — a densely populated city. Madrid, with 5,513 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Brussels is slightly more compact.
Size Ratio
Brussels fits inside Madrid ~3 times
Density Gap
Brussels is 1.4x more densely populated
History
Madrid is ~1,137 years older
Brussels covers 161 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Minneapolis (149 km²), Washington D.C. (177 km²), Miami (143 km²), Stockholm (188 km²), or Buenos Aires (203 km²).
Madrid covers 604 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Chicago (606 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Brussels to Madrid is 1,316 km (818 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 3m.
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