City Map Compare/Chicago vs Santiago
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Chicago

606 km²

Santiago

838 km²

Chicago vs Santiago - City Size Comparison

Chicago vs Santiago - City Size Comparison

Chicago

USA

Area606 km²
Population2.70M
Density4,455 /km²
Elevation176 m
Metro Pop.9.5M
Founded1833
Climatehumid continental
Santiago

Chile

Area838 km²
Population6.26M
Density7,470 /km²
Elevation575 m
Founded1541

Area Comparison

Chicago is 1.4x smaller than Santiago

Population Comparison

Chicago has 2.3x fewer people than Santiago

Is Chicago Bigger Than Santiago?

In terms of area, Santiago is 1.4x the size of Chicago. Santiago spans 838 km² (324 mi²) while Chicago covers 606 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 232 km².

To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Santiago at 838 km² is roughly the same size as 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. For Santiago, that's about 117,000 American football fields, 14 times the area of Manhattan, or 8 times the area of Paris.

About Chicago

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.

About Santiago

Santiago, also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. Located in the Chilean Central Valley within the Santiago Basin, between the Andes to the east and the Chilean Coastal Range to the west, it anchors the Santiago Metropolitan Region and its conurbation of Greater Santiago, which comprises more than forty communes and concentrates over a third of the national population and around 45% of Chile's GDP.

Also known as "Santiago de Chile", Santiago has an area of 838 km² and is home to 6.3 million people. It was established in 1541. Visitors come for Cerro San Cristóbal, Gran Torre Santiago, Plaza de Armas, and much more.

Santiago sits in the Chilean Central Valley between the Andes and the Coastal Range, anchoring over a third of Chile's population.

Population Density

Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Santiago, with 7,470 people per km², is a densely populated city. Santiago is noticeably denser, packing 1.7 times more people per square kilometer.

Key Differences at a Glance

Density Gap

Santiago is 1.7x more densely populated

History

Santiago is ~292 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Chicago

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Santiago

Santiago covers 838 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Kyoto (828 km²), Berlin (892 km²), New York (783 km²), Hamburg (755 km²), or Bangalore (741 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chicago actually bigger than Santiago?
Santiago is 1.4 times larger than Chicago by area. Santiago covers 838 km² while Chicago spans 606 km², a difference of 232 km².
How many times does Chicago fit inside Santiago?
Chicago (606 km²) fits inside Santiago (838 km²) approximately 1 times. That means Santiago is 1.4x the area of Chicago.
What is the population difference between Chicago and Santiago?
Santiago has approximately 6.3 million people, while Chicago has about 2.7 million. Santiago has 3.6 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Chicago or Santiago?
Santiago is more densely populated with 7,470 people per km², compared to 4,455 people per km².
Which city is older, Chicago or Santiago?
Santiago is older, founded around 1541, while Chicago was established around 1833 — a difference of about 292 years.
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Chicago and Santiago

The straight-line distance from Chicago to Santiago is 8,552 km (5,314 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 34m.

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