Cairo
3,085 km²
Dubai
4,114 km²
Egypt
UAE
Area Comparison
Cairo is 1.3x smaller than Dubai
Population Comparison
Cairo has 3.0x more people than Dubai
In terms of area, Dubai is 1.3x the size of Cairo. Dubai spans 4,114 km² (1,588 mi²) while Cairo covers 3,085 km² (1,191 mi²) — a difference of 1,029 km².
To put Cairo's size in perspective, its area of 3,085 km² is about 1.2x the size of Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Dubai at 4,114 km² is roughly the same size as Rhode Island.
Picture Cairo another way: its area is large enough to fit about 432,000 American football fields, 52 times the area of Manhattan, or 29 times the area of Paris. For Dubai, that's about 576,000 American football fields, 70 times the area of Manhattan, or 39 times the area of Paris.
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.
Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai. It is on a creek on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf. As of 2025, its population stands at 4 million, 92% of whom are expatriates. The wider urban area includes Sharjah and has a population of 5 million people as of 2023, while the Dubai–Sharjah–Ajman metropolitan area has a population of 6 million people.
Also known as "City of Gold", Dubai has an area of 4,114 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. Its history stretches back to 1833. Visitors come for Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Mall, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Dubai Metro.
Dubai's population reached 4 million in 2025, with 92% of residents being expatriates rather than UAE nationals.
Cairo has a population density of 3,274 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Dubai, with 809 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Cairo is dramatically more crowded, with 4.0x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Cairo in Africa versus Dubai in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Both cities share a hot desert climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each. When it's noon in Dubai, it's 10:00 AM in Cairo — a 2-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Cairo is 4.0x more densely populated
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).
Dubai covers 4,114 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Karachi (3,527 km²), Hanoi (3,359 km²), Istanbul (5,461 km²), Cairo (3,085 km²), or Lima (2,672 km²).
The straight-line distance from Cairo to Dubai is 2,423 km (1,506 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~3h 21m.
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