Cairo
3,085 km²
Chicago
606 km²
Egypt
USA
Area Comparison
Cairo is 5.1x larger than Chicago
Population Comparison
Cairo has 3.7x more people than Chicago
Yes — Cairo is 5.1x larger than Chicago by area. Cairo spans 3,085 km² (1,191 mi²) while Chicago covers 606 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 2,479 km². You could fit Chicago inside Cairo approximately 5 times.
To put Cairo's size in perspective, its area of 3,085 km² is about 1.2x the size of Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Chicago at 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
In more relatable units, Cairo's 3,085 km² is about 432,000 American football fields, 52 times the area of Manhattan, or 29 times the area of Paris. Chicago works out to about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
Cairo is the capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate. It is home to more than 9.8 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world, and the Middle East. The Greater Cairo metropolitan area is one of the largest in the world by population with over 22 million people. Areas of what would become Cairo were inhabited from pre-dynastic and early-dynastic ancient Egypt c.
Known as "The City of a Thousand Minarets", Cairo covers 3,085 km² with a population of 10.1 million. The city was established in 969. Cairo is known for Pyramids of Giza, Great Sphinx, Egyptian Museum, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Cairo Metro.
Cairo is home to more than 9.8 million people and is part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa and the Arab world.
Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the third-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.74 million at the 2020 census. The Chicago metropolitan area has 9.41 million residents and is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country. Chicago is the seat of Cook County, the second-most populous county in the U.S.
Often called "The Windy City", Chicago has an area of 606 km² and is home to 2.7 million people. It was established in 1833. Visitors come for Willis Tower, Millennium Park Bean, Navy Pier, and much more. Getting around is easy with the CTA (L train).
Chicago is the third-most populous city in the United States with 2.74 million residents at the 2020 census.
Looking beyond city limits, the Chicago metropolitan area covers 28,160 km², which is 4.3x larger than greater Cairo at 6,588 km². The Cairo metro area is also more populous, with 21.3 million people compared to 9.5 million.
Cairo has a population density of 3,274 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Chicago, with 4,455 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Chicago is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Cairo in Africa versus Chicago in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Cairo has a hot desert climate while Chicago experiences humid continental conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Cairo stays around 14°C while Chicago drops to -3°C. When it's noon in Cairo, it's 4:00 AM in Chicago — a 8-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Chicago fits inside Cairo ~5 times
Density Gap
Chicago is 1.4x more densely populated
Time Difference
8 hours apart
History
Cairo is ~864 years older
Cairo covers 3,085 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hanoi (3,359 km²), Karachi (3,527 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), Moscow (2,511 km²), or Cape Town (2,455 km²).
Chicago covers 606 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Madrid (604 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Cairo to Chicago is 9,861 km (6,127 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~12h 6m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.