City Map Compare/Budapest vs Lagos
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5 km
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Budapest

525 km²

Lagos

1,172 km²

Budapest vs Lagos - City Size Comparison

Budapest vs Lagos - City Size Comparison

Budapest

Hungary

Area525 km²
Population1.69M
Density3,219 /km²
Elevation117 m
Founded1873
Lagos

Nigeria

Area1,172 km²
Population15.39M
Density13,131 /km²
Elevation41 m
Metro Pop.21.0M
Founded1472
Climatetropical savanna

Area Comparison

Budapest is 2.2x smaller than Lagos

Population Comparison

Budapest has 9.1x fewer people than Lagos

Is Budapest Bigger Than Lagos?

In terms of area, Lagos is 2.2x the size of Budapest. Lagos spans 1,172 km² (453 mi²) while Budapest covers 525 km² (203 mi²) — a difference of 647 km². You could fit Budapest inside Lagos approximately 2 times.

To put Budapest's size in perspective, its area of 525 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Lagos at 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin.

Budapest's footprint is roughly about 74,000 American football fields, 150 times the area of Central Park, or 9 times the area of Manhattan — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Lagos works out to about 164,000 American football fields, 20 times the area of Manhattan, or 11 times the area of Paris.

About Budapest

Budapest is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is Hungary's primate city with 1.7 million inhabitants and its greater metro area has a population of about 3.3 million, representing one-third of the country's population and producing above 40% of the country's economic output. Budapest is the political, economic, and cultural center of the country, among the ten largest cities in the European Union and the second largest urban area in Central and Eastern Europe.

Known as "Pearl of the Danube", Budapest covers 525 km² with a population of 1.7 million. The city was established in 1873. Budapest is known for Buda Castle, Hungarian Parliament Building, Chain Bridge, among other attractions.

Budapest's metro area holds about 3.3 million people, roughly one-third of Hungary's entire population.

About Lagos

Lagos, or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan port city in southwestern Nigeria. As of November 2025, the size of the city's population has been estimated to be between 17 and 21 million residents, making Lagos the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and one of the fastest-growing megacities in the world.

Nicknamed "Lasgidi", Lagos has an area of 1,172 km² and is home to 15.4 million people. The city dates back to 1472. Visitors come for Victoria Island, Lekki Conservation Centre, Nike Art Gallery, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Lagos Rail (Blue & Red Lines).

Lagos is the most populous urban area on the African continent, with an estimated 17 to 21 million residents as of 2025.

Population Density

Budapest has a population density of 3,219 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Lagos, with 13,131 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Lagos is dramatically more crowded, with 4.1x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Budapest fits inside Lagos ~2 times

Density Gap

Lagos is 4.1x more densely populated

History

Lagos is ~401 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Budapest

Budapest covers 525 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Warsaw (517 km²), Montreal (498 km²), Prague (496 km²), Auckland (559 km²), or Mumbai (603 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Lagos

Lagos covers 1,172 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), Hong Kong (1,114 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), or Los Angeles (1,302 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Budapest actually bigger than Lagos?
Lagos is 2.2 times larger than Budapest by area. Lagos covers 1,172 km² while Budapest spans 525 km², a difference of 647 km².
How many times does Budapest fit inside Lagos?
Budapest (525 km²) fits inside Lagos (1,172 km²) approximately 2 times. That means Lagos is 2.2x the area of Budapest.
What is the population difference between Budapest and Lagos?
Lagos has approximately 15.4 million people, while Budapest has about 1.7 million. Lagos has 13.7 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Budapest or Lagos?
Lagos is more densely populated with 13,131 people per km², compared to 3,219 people per km².
Which city is older, Budapest or Lagos?
Lagos is older, founded around 1472, while Budapest was established around 1873 — a difference of about 401 years.
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Budapest and Lagos

The straight-line distance from Budapest to Lagos is 4,793 km (2,978 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~6h 8m.

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