Cairo vs San Francisco - City Size Comparison

Is Cairo Bigger Than San Francisco?

In terms of area, Cairo is 25.5x the size of San Francisco. Cairo spans 3,085 km² (1,191 mi²) while San Francisco covers 121 km² (47 mi²) — a difference of 2,964 km². You could fit San Francisco inside Cairo approximately 25 times.

About Cairo

Egypt's capital and the largest city in the Arab world. 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, Egyptian Museum, Khan el-Khalili bazaar, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Cairo Metro.

Cairo is the only major city in the world where you can see ancient pyramids from the city center

About San Francisco

A cultural and financial center in Northern California. Often called "SF", San Francisco has an area of 121 km² and is home to 0.9 million people. It was established in 1776. Visitors come for Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Cable cars, and much more. Getting around is easy with the BART & Muni.

San Francisco's 121 km² makes it one of the smallest major US cities by area

Metropolitan Area Comparison

Looking beyond city limits, the San Francisco metropolitan area covers 6,984 km², which is 1.1x larger than greater Cairo at 6,588 km². The Cairo metro area is also more populous, with 21.3 million people compared to 4.7 million.

Population Density

Cairo has a population density of 3,274 people per km² — a moderately dense city. San Francisco, with 7,190 people per km², is a densely populated city. San Francisco is noticeably denser, packing 2.2 times more people per square kilometer.

Climate & Time Zone

Cairo has a hot desert climate while San Francisco experiences Mediterranean conditions. Summers are notably different: Cairo averages 29°C compared to 17°C in San Francisco. When it's noon in Cairo, it's 2:00 AM in San Francisco — a 10-hour time difference.