Chicago
606 km²
Lagos
1,172 km²
USA
Nigeria
Area Comparison
Chicago is 1.9x smaller than Lagos
Population Comparison
Chicago has 5.7x fewer people than Lagos
In terms of area, Lagos is 1.9x the size of Chicago. Lagos spans 1,172 km² (453 mi²) while Chicago covers 606 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 566 km².
To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Lagos at 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin.
Chicago's footprint is roughly about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Lagos works out to about 164,000 American football fields, 20 times the area of Manhattan, or 11 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.
Lagos, or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan port city in southwestern Nigeria. As of November 2025, the size of the city's population has been estimated to be between 17 and 21 million residents, making Lagos the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and one of the fastest-growing megacities in the world.
Also known as "Lasgidi", Lagos has an area of 1,172 km² and is home to 15.4 million people. Its history stretches back to 1472. Visitors come for Victoria Island, Lekki Conservation Centre, Nike Art Gallery, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Lagos Rail (Blue & Red Lines).
Lagos is the most populous urban area on the African continent, with an estimated 17 to 21 million residents as of 2025.
Looking beyond city limits, the Chicago metropolitan area covers 28,160 km², which is 10.4x larger than greater Lagos at 2,706 km². The Lagos metro area is also more populous, with 21.0 million people compared to 9.5 million.
Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Lagos, with 13,131 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Lagos is noticeably denser, packing 2.9 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Chicago in North America versus Lagos in Africa. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Chicago has a humid continental climate while Lagos experiences tropical savanna conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Lagos stays around 27°C while Chicago drops to -3°C. When it's noon in Lagos, it's 5:00 AM in Chicago — a 7-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Lagos is 2.9x more densely populated
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Lagos is ~361 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).
Lagos covers 1,172 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), Hong Kong (1,114 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), or Los Angeles (1,302 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chicago to Lagos is 9,607 km (5,970 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 48m.
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