Chicago
606 km²
Melbourne
9,993 km²
USA
Australia
Area Comparison
Chicago is 16.5x smaller than Melbourne
Population Comparison
Chicago has 1.9x fewer people than Melbourne
Yes — Melbourne is 16.5x larger than Chicago by area. Melbourne spans 9,993 km² (3,858 mi²) while Chicago covers 606 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 9,387 km². You could fit Chicago inside Melbourne approximately 16 times.
To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Melbourne at 9,993 km² is about 1.6x the size of Shanghai.
In more relatable units, Chicago's 606 km² is about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan. Melbourne works out to about 1,400,000 American football fields, 170 times the area of Manhattan, or 95 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.
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second most-populous city in Australia. The city's name generally refers to a 9,993-square-kilometre (3,858 sq mi) area, comprising an urban agglomeration of 31 local government areas. The name is also used to specifically refer to the local government area named City of Melbourne, whose area is centred on the Melbourne central business district and some immediate surrounds.
Melbourne has an area of 9,993 km² and is home to 5.1 million people. The city dates back to 1835. Visitors come for Federation Square, Flinders Street Station, Melbourne Cricket Ground, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Melbourne Trams & Metro.
Melbourne's metropolitan area spans 9,993 square kilometers across 31 local government areas, making it Australia's second-most-populous city.
Looking beyond city limits, the Chicago metropolitan area covers 28,160 km², which is 2.8x larger than greater Melbourne at 9,993 km². The Chicago metro area is also more populous, with 9.5 million people compared to 5.1 million.
Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Melbourne, with 508 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Chicago is dramatically more crowded, with 8.8x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Chicago in North America versus Melbourne in Oceania. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Chicago has a humid continental climate while Melbourne experiences oceanic conditions. When it's noon in Melbourne, it's midnight in Chicago — a 16-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Chicago fits inside Melbourne ~16 times
Density Gap
Chicago is 8.8x more densely populated
Time Difference
16 hours apart
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).
Melbourne covers 9,993 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Xi'an (10,097 km²), Wuhan (8,569 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), or Chengdu (14,378 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chicago to Melbourne is 15,573 km (9,676 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~18h 49m.
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