Chicago
606 km²
Ho Chi Minh City
2,061 km²
USA
Vietnam
Area Comparison
Chicago is 3.4x smaller than Ho Chi Minh City
Population Comparison
Chicago has 3.3x fewer people than Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City is significantly larger, covering 3.4 times the area of Chicago. Ho Chi Minh City spans 2,061 km² (796 mi²) while Chicago covers 606 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 1,455 km². You could fit Chicago inside Ho Chi Minh City approximately 3 times.
To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City at 2,061 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
Picture Chicago another way: its area is large enough to fit about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 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.
Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the third-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2.74 million at the 2020 census. The Chicago metropolitan area has 9.41 million residents and is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country. Chicago is the seat of Cook County, the second-most populous county in the U.S.
Known as "The Windy City", Chicago covers 606 km² with a population of 2.7 million. The city was established in 1833. Chicago is known for Willis Tower, Millennium Park Bean, Navy Pier, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the CTA (L train).
Chicago is the third-most populous city in the United States with 2.74 million residents at the 2020 census.
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. The city dates 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.
Looking beyond city limits, the Chicago metropolitan area covers 28,160 km², which is 13.7x larger than greater Ho Chi Minh City at 2,061 km². The Chicago metro area is also more populous, with 9.5 million people compared to 9.0 million.
Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Ho Chi Minh City, with 4,362 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Chicago is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Chicago in North America versus Ho Chi Minh City in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Chicago has a humid continental climate while Ho Chi Minh City experiences tropical savanna conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Ho Chi Minh City stays around 27°C while Chicago drops to -3°C. When it's noon in Ho Chi Minh City, it's midnight in Chicago — a 13-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Chicago fits inside Ho Chi Minh City ~3 times
Time Difference
13 hours apart
History
Ho Chi Minh City is ~135 years older
Chicago covers 606 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Madrid (604 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 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 Chicago to Ho Chi Minh City is 13,976 km (8,685 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~16h 57m.
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