Cape Town
2,455 km²
Madrid
604 km²
South Africa
Spain
Area Comparison
Cape Town is 4.1x larger than Madrid
Population Comparison
Cape Town has 1.1x more people than Madrid
Cape Town is significantly larger, covering 4.1 times the area of Madrid. Cape Town spans 2,455 km² (948 mi²) while Madrid covers 604 km² (233 mi²) — a difference of 1,851 km². You could fit Madrid inside Cape Town approximately 4 times.
To put Cape Town's size in perspective, its area of 2,455 km² is roughly the same size as Moscow. Meanwhile, Madrid at 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
In more relatable units, Cape Town's 2,455 km² is about 344,000 American football fields, 42 times the area of Manhattan, or 23 times the area of Paris. Madrid, by comparison, equals about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's second-largest city by population, after Johannesburg, and the largest city in the Western Cape. The city is part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality.
Known as "The Mother City", Cape Town covers 2,455 km² with a population of 3.8 million. The city was established in 1652. Cape Town is known for Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope, Robben Island, among other attractions.
Cape Town is South Africa's oldest city, founded in 1652 and home to the seat of the national Parliament.
Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. It had a population of over 3.4 million in the city proper in 2025, and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.8 million. Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU, after Paris. The municipality covers an area of 605.77 square kilometres (233.89 sq mi).
Nicknamed "La Villa y Corte", Madrid has an area of 604 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. Its history stretches back to 852. Visitors come for Royal Palace of Madrid, Prado Museum, Plaza Mayor, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Madrid Metro.
Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union after Berlin, with over 3.4 million residents in the city proper
Cape Town has a population density of 1,540 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Madrid, with 5,513 people per km², is a densely populated city. Madrid is dramatically more crowded, with 3.6x the population density.
Size Ratio
Madrid fits inside Cape Town ~4 times
Density Gap
Madrid is 3.6x more densely populated
History
Madrid is ~800 years older
Cape Town covers 2,455 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Moscow (2,511 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), or Shenzhen (1,997 km²).
Madrid covers 604 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Chicago (606 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Cape Town to Madrid is 8,572 km (5,327 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 35m.
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