Chicago
606 km²
Taipei
272 km²
USA
Taiwan
Area Comparison
Chicago is 2.2x larger than Taipei
Population Comparison
Chicago has 1.0x more people than Taipei
Chicago is significantly larger, covering 2.2 times the area of Taipei. Chicago spans 606 km² (234 mi²) while Taipei covers 272 km² (105 mi²) — a difference of 334 km². You could fit Taipei inside Chicago approximately 2 times.
To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Taipei at 272 km² is about 1.2x the size of Amsterdam.
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. Taipei, by comparison, equals about 38,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Monaco, or 80 times the area of Central Park.
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.
Taipei, officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of Taiwan. Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about 25 kilometres (16 mi) southwest of the northern port city of Keelung. Most of the city rests on the Taipei Basin, an ancient lakebed. The basin is bounded by the relatively narrow valleys of the Keelung and Xindian rivers, which join to form the Tamsui River along the city's western border.
Taipei has an area of 272 km² and is home to 2.6 million people. It was established in 1709. Visitors come for Taipei 101 tower, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial, Shilin Night Market, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Taipei Metro (MRT).
Most of Taipei rests on the Taipei Basin, an ancient lakebed bounded by narrow river valleys.
Looking beyond city limits, the Chicago metropolitan area covers 28,160 km², which is 11.5x larger than greater Taipei at 2,458 km². The Chicago metro area is also more populous, with 9.5 million people compared to 7.0 million.
Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Taipei, with 9,743 people per km², is a densely populated city. Taipei is noticeably denser, packing 2.2 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Chicago in North America versus Taipei in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Chicago has a humid continental climate while Taipei experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Taipei stays around 16°C while Chicago drops to -3°C. When it's noon in Taipei, it's midnight in Chicago — a 14-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Taipei fits inside Chicago ~2 times
Density Gap
Taipei is 2.2x more densely populated
Time Difference
14 hours apart
History
Taipei is ~124 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).
Taipei covers 272 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Edinburgh (259 km²), Kuala Lumpur (243 km²), Munich (311 km²), Boston (232 km²), or Osaka (225 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chicago to Taipei is 11,992 km (7,451 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~14h 36m.
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