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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.
Third-largest city in the United States. 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 Deep-dish pizza, Willis Tower, Millennium Park & Cloud Gate, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the CTA (L train).
Chicago reversed the flow of the Chicago River in 1900, an engineering feat that still stands
Australia's cultural capital and second-largest city. Also known as "The Garden City", 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 Street art laneways, Coffee culture, Melbourne Cup, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Melbourne Trams & Metro.
Melbourne has the world's largest tram network outside of Europe
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
The straight-line distance from Chicago to Melbourne is 15,573 km (9,676 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~18h 49m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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