City Map Compare/Buenos Aires vs Los Angeles
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5 km
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Buenos Aires

203 km²

Los Angeles

1,302 km²

Buenos Aires vs Los Angeles - City Size Comparison

Buenos Aires vs Los Angeles - City Size Comparison

Buenos Aires

Argentina

Area203 km²
Population3.06M
Density15,074 /km²
Elevation25 m
Metro Pop.15.2M
Founded1536
Climatehumid subtropical
Los Angeles

USA

Area1,302 km²
Population3.97M
Density3,049 /km²
Elevation71 m
Metro Pop.13.2M
Founded1781
ClimateMediterranean

Area Comparison

Buenos Aires is 6.4x smaller than Los Angeles

Population Comparison

Buenos Aires has 1.3x fewer people than Los Angeles

Is Buenos Aires Bigger Than Los Angeles?

Yes — Los Angeles is 6.4x larger than Buenos Aires by area. Los Angeles spans 1,302 km² (503 mi²) while Buenos Aires covers 203 km² (78 mi²) — a difference of 1,099 km². You could fit Buenos Aires inside Los Angeles approximately 6 times.

To put Buenos Aires's size in perspective, its area of 203 km² is roughly the same size as Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Los Angeles at 1,302 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London.

Buenos Aires's footprint is roughly about 28,000 American football fields, 100 times the area of Monaco, or 60 times the area of Central Park — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Los Angeles, by comparison, equals about 182,000 American football fields, 22 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.

About Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− global city, according to the GaWC 2024 ranking. The city proper has a population of 3.1 million and its urban area has a population of 16.7 million, making it the 21st most populous metropolitan area in the world.

Known as "Paris of South America", Buenos Aires covers 203 km² with a population of 3.1 million. The city was established in 1536. Buenos Aires is known for La Boca's Caminito, Recoleta Cemetery, Teatro Colón, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Buenos Aires Subte.

Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− global city according to the GaWC 2024 ranking.

About Los Angeles

Los Angeles (LA) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. With an estimated 3.88 million residents within the city limits as of 2024, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, behind New York City, and the largest city in the Western United States. The city has an ethnically and culturally diverse population, and is the principal city of a metropolitan area of 12.9 million people (2024).

Often called "The City of Angels", Los Angeles has an area of 1,302 km² and is home to 4.0 million people. It was established in 1781. Visitors come for Hollywood Sign, Santa Monica Pier, Beverly Hills, and much more. Getting around is easy with the LA Metro.

Los Angeles is the second-most populous city in the United States, home to 3.88 million residents within city limits as of 2024.

Metropolitan Area Comparison

Looking beyond city limits, the Los Angeles metropolitan area covers 12,562 km², which is 2.6x larger than greater Buenos Aires at 4,758 km². The Buenos Aires metro area is also more populous, with 15.2 million people compared to 13.2 million.

Population Density

Buenos Aires has a population density of 15,074 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Los Angeles, with 3,049 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Buenos Aires is dramatically more crowded, with 4.9x the population density.

This comparison spans continents — Buenos Aires in South America versus Los Angeles in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.

Climate & Time Zone

Buenos Aires has a humid subtropical climate while Los Angeles experiences Mediterranean conditions. When it's noon in Buenos Aires, it's 7:00 AM in Los Angeles — a 5-hour time difference.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Buenos Aires fits inside Los Angeles ~6 times

Density Gap

Buenos Aires is 4.9x more densely populated

Time Difference

5 hours apart

History

Buenos Aires is ~245 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires covers 203 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Helsinki (214 km²), Amsterdam (219 km²), Stockholm (188 km²), Osaka (225 km²), or Boston (232 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Los Angeles

Los Angeles covers 1,302 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Rome (1,285 km²), Phoenix (1,341 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), San Antonio (1,209 km²), or Lagos (1,172 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Buenos Aires actually bigger than Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is 6.4 times larger than Buenos Aires by area. Los Angeles covers 1,302 km² while Buenos Aires spans 203 km², a difference of 1,099 km².
How many times does Buenos Aires fit inside Los Angeles?
Buenos Aires (203 km²) fits inside Los Angeles (1,302 km²) approximately 6 times. That means Los Angeles is 6.4x the area of Buenos Aires.
What is the population difference between Buenos Aires and Los Angeles?
Los Angeles has approximately 4.0 million people, while Buenos Aires has about 3.1 million. Los Angeles has 0.9 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Buenos Aires or Los Angeles?
Buenos Aires is more densely populated with 15,074 people per km², compared to 3,049 people per km².
What is the time difference between Buenos Aires and Los Angeles?
Buenos Aires is in the UTC-3 timezone while Los Angeles is UTC-8. There is a 5-hour time difference between the two cities.
Which city is older, Buenos Aires or Los Angeles?
Buenos Aires is older, founded around 1536, while Los Angeles was established around 1781 — a difference of about 245 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 Buenos Aires and Los Angeles

The straight-line distance from Buenos Aires to Los Angeles is 9,852 km (6,122 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~12h 5m.

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