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USA
Kenya
Area Comparison
Chicago is 1.1x smaller than Nairobi
Population Comparison
Chicago has 1.8x fewer people than Nairobi
Nairobi is significantly larger, covering 1.1 times the area of Chicago. Nairobi spans 696 km² (269 mi²) while Chicago covers 606 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 90 km².
To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Nairobi at 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City.
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
Kenya's capital and East Africa's largest city. Nicknamed "The Green City in the Sun", Nairobi has an area of 696 km² and is home to 4.7 million people. The city dates back to 1899. Visitors come for Nairobi National Park, Safari tourism, Karen Blixen Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Nairobi Commuter Rail.
Nairobi is the only capital city in the world with a national park within its borders — you can see lions with skyscrapers in the background
Looking beyond city limits, the Chicago metropolitan area covers 28,160 km², which is 40.5x larger than greater Nairobi at 696 km². The Chicago metro area is also more populous, with 9.5 million people compared to 4.7 million.
Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Nairobi, with 6,796 people per km², is a densely populated city. Nairobi is noticeably denser, packing 1.5 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Chicago in North America versus Nairobi in Africa. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Chicago has a humid continental climate while Nairobi experiences subtropical highland conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Nairobi stays around 17°C while Chicago drops to -3°C. When it's noon in Nairobi, it's 3:00 AM in Chicago — a 9-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Nairobi is 1.5x more densely populated
Time Difference
9 hours apart
The straight-line distance from Chicago to Nairobi is 12,883 km (8,005 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~15h 39m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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