Chicago
606 km²
Shanghai
6,341 km²
USA
China
Area Comparison
Chicago is 10.5x smaller than Shanghai
Population Comparison
Chicago has 9.2x fewer people than Shanghai
In terms of area, Shanghai is 10.5x the size of Chicago. Shanghai spans 6,341 km² (2,448 mi²) while Chicago covers 606 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 5,735 km². You could fit Chicago inside Shanghai approximately 10 times.
To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Shanghai at 6,341 km² is about 1.5x the size of Los Angeles metro.
Picture Chicago another way: its area is large enough to fit about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan. Shanghai works out to about 888,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Manhattan, or 60 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.
Shanghai is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. It has a population of 29,558,908 in the urban area as of 2025. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River bisecting the city. Shanghai is a global center for finance, business and economics, research, science and technology, manufacturing, transportation, tourism, and culture. The Port of Shanghai is the world's busiest container port.
Also known as "Pearl of the Orient", Shanghai has an area of 6,341 km² and is home to 24.9 million people. The city dates back to 1291. Visitors come for The Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shanghai Metro.
Shanghai's urban population reached 29.5 million in 2025, making it the most populous urban area in all of China.
Looking beyond city limits, the Chicago metropolitan area covers 28,160 km², which is 4.4x larger than greater Shanghai at 6,341 km². The Shanghai metro area is also more populous, with 28.5 million people compared to 9.5 million.
Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Shanghai, with 3,922 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Chicago is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Chicago in North America versus Shanghai in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Chicago has a humid continental climate while Shanghai experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Shanghai, it's midnight in Chicago — a 14-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Chicago fits inside Shanghai ~10 times
Time Difference
14 hours apart
History
Shanghai is ~542 years older
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).
Shanghai covers 6,341 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Perth (6,417 km²), Istanbul (5,461 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), Wuhan (8,569 km²), or Dubai (4,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chicago to Shanghai is 11,357 km (7,057 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 52m.
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