City Map Compare/Chengdu vs São Paulo
vs
5 km
|

Chengdu

14,378 km²

São Paulo

1,521 km²

Chengdu vs São Paulo - City Size Comparison

Chengdu vs São Paulo - City Size Comparison

Chengdu

People's Republic of China

Area14,378 km²
Population20.94M
Density1,456 /km²
Elevation500 m
Founded310 BC
São Paulo

Brazil

Area1,521 km²
Population12.33M
Density8,107 /km²
Elevation760 m
Metro Pop.22.0M
Founded1554
Climatehumid subtropical

Area Comparison

Chengdu is 9.5x larger than São Paulo

Population Comparison

Chengdu has 1.7x more people than São Paulo

Is Chengdu Bigger Than São Paulo?

Chengdu is significantly larger, covering 9.5 times the area of São Paulo. Chengdu spans 14,378 km² (5,551 mi²) while São Paulo covers 1,521 km² (587 mi²) — a difference of 12,857 km². You could fit São Paulo inside Chengdu approximately 9 times.

To put Chengdu's size in perspective, its area of 14,378 km² is about 2.3x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, São Paulo at 1,521 km² is roughly the same size as London.

Picture Chengdu another way: its area is large enough to fit about 2,000,000 American football fields, 140 times the area of Paris, or 120 times the area of San Francisco. For São Paulo, that's about 213,000 American football fields, 26 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 times the area of Paris.

About Chengdu

Chengdu is the capital city of the Chinese province of Sichuan. With a population of 20,937,757 at the 2020 census, it is the fourth most populous city in China, and it is the only city with a population of over 20 million apart from provincial-level municipalities. It is traditionally the hub of Western China.

Known as "Land of Abundance", Chengdu covers 14,378 km² with a population of 20.9 million. The city was founded around 310 BC. Chengdu is known for Giant Panda Breeding Base, Jinli Ancient Street, Wuhou Shrine, among other attractions.

Chengdu has a population of over 20.9 million, making it the fourth most populous city in China.

About São Paulo

São Paulo is the capital city of the state of the same name, as well as the most populous city in Brazil, South America, the Americas, and in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres. The city exerts international influence in commerce, finance, culture, gastronomy, arts, fashion, technology, entertainment and media, having been listed by UNESCO's Creative Cities Network as a "City of Film" and the title of "World Capital of Gastronomy", and by the Globalization and World Cities Research…

Often called "Sampa", São Paulo has an area of 1,521 km² and is home to 12.3 million people. Its history stretches back to 1554. Visitors come for Avenida Paulista, Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo Museum of Art, and much more. Getting around is easy with the São Paulo Metro.

São Paulo is the most populous city in Brazil, the Americas, and both the Western and Southern Hemispheres.

Population Density

Chengdu has a population density of 1,456 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. São Paulo, with 8,107 people per km², is a densely populated city. São Paulo is dramatically more crowded, with 5.6x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

São Paulo fits inside Chengdu ~9 times

Density Gap

São Paulo is 5.6x more densely populated

History

Chengdu is ~1,864 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Chengdu

Chengdu covers 14,378 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Brisbane (15,826 km²), Beijing (16,411 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), Hangzhou (16,854 km²), or Xi'an (10,097 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to São Paulo

São Paulo covers 1,521 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Mexico City (1,485 km²), Delhi (1,484 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bogotá (1,578 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Chengdu or São Paulo?
Chengdu is 9.5 times larger than São Paulo by area. Chengdu covers 14,378 km² while São Paulo spans 1,521 km², a difference of 12,857 km².
How many times does São Paulo fit inside Chengdu?
São Paulo (1,521 km²) fits inside Chengdu (14,378 km²) approximately 9 times. That means Chengdu is 9.5x the area of São Paulo.
What is the population difference between Chengdu and São Paulo?
Chengdu has approximately 20.9 million people, while São Paulo has about 12.3 million. Chengdu has 8.6 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chengdu or São Paulo?
São Paulo is more densely populated with 8,107 people per km², compared to 1,456 people per km².
Which city is older, Chengdu or São Paulo?
Chengdu is older, founded around -310, while São Paulo was established around 1554 — a difference of about 1864 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 Chengdu and São Paulo

The straight-line distance from Chengdu to São Paulo is 17,018 km (10,575 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~20h 31m.

Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.