Chicago
606 km²
Nairobi
696 km²
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.
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. Nairobi, by comparison, equals about 97,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 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.
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya, located in the south-central part of the country. As of 2024, it has a population of 4.8 million and a metropolitan population of 5.7 million, making it the 11th most populous city in Africa. Nicknamed the "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi is uniquely notable for being the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries. Its name originates from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, meaning "place of cool waters".
Nicknamed "Green City under 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, Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Nairobi Commuter Rail.
Nairobi is the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries.
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
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).
Nairobi covers 696 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Tehran (730 km²), Jakarta (662 km²), Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chicago to Nairobi is 12,883 km (8,005 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~15h 39m.
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