Chennai
427 km²
Ho Chi Minh City
2,061 km²
India
Vietnam
Area Comparison
Chennai is 4.8x smaller than Ho Chi Minh City
Population Comparison
Chennai has 1.4x fewer people than Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City is significantly larger, covering 4.8 times the area of Chennai. Ho Chi Minh City spans 2,061 km² (796 mi²) while Chennai covers 427 km² (165 mi²) — a difference of 1,634 km². You could fit Chennai inside Ho Chi Minh City approximately 4 times.
To put Chennai's size in perspective, its area of 427 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City at 2,061 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
In more relatable units, Chennai's 427 km² is about 60,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Central Park, or 7 times the area of Manhattan. For Ho Chi Minh City, that's about 289,000 American football fields, 35 times the area of Manhattan, or 20 times the area of Paris.
Chennai, also known as Madras, is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. As per the 2011 Indian census, Chennai is the sixth-most-populous city in India and forms the fourth-most-populous urban agglomeration. The city is coterminous with Chennai district, which together with the adjoining suburbs constitutes the Chennai Metropolitan Area, one of the largest metropolitan areas of India.
Known as "Madras", Chennai covers 427 km² with a population of 6.6 million. The city was established in 1639. Chennai is known for Marina Beach, Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Fort St. George, among other attractions.
Chennai, formerly Madras, is the capital of Tamil Nadu and the sixth-most-populous city in India.
Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is the most populous municipality of Vietnam, with a population of more than 14 million in 2025. Its geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigon River. As the largest financial centre in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has the largest gross regional domestic product out of all Vietnam provinces and municipalities, contributing around a quarter of the country's total GDP.
Also known as "Saigon", Ho Chi Minh City has an area of 2,061 km² and is home to 9.0 million people. Its history stretches back to 1698. Visitors come for Independence Palace, Bitexco Financial Tower, War Remnants Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the HCMC Metro (opening 2024).
Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's largest financial center and contributes around a quarter of the country's total GDP.
Chennai has a population density of 15,457 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Ho Chi Minh City, with 4,362 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Chennai is dramatically more crowded, with 3.5x the population density.
Size Ratio
Chennai fits inside Ho Chi Minh City ~4 times
Density Gap
Chennai is 3.5x more densely populated
Chennai covers 427 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Vienna (415 km²), Oslo (454 km²), Denver (401 km²), Portland (376 km²), or Philadelphia (370 km²).
Ho Chi Minh City covers 2,061 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Shenzhen (1,997 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Riyadh (1,798 km²), Cape Town (2,455 km²), or Houston (1,725 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chennai to Ho Chi Minh City is 2,877 km (1,787 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~3h 53m.
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