Chicago
606 km²
Zurich
88 km²
USA
Switzerland
Area Comparison
Chicago is 6.9x larger than Zurich
Population Comparison
Chicago has 6.3x more people than Zurich
Yes — Chicago is 6.9x larger than Zurich by area. Chicago spans 606 km² (234 mi²) while Zurich covers 88 km² (34 mi²) — a difference of 518 km². You could fit Zurich inside Chicago approximately 6 times.
To put Chicago's size in perspective, its area of 606 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Zurich at 88 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Paris (city proper).
In more relatable units, Chicago's 606 km² is about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan. Zurich works out to about 12,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Vatican City, or 44 times the area of Monaco.
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.
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality had a population of 436,551, while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people (2020), and the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million (2020). Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic.
Zurich has an area of 88 km² and is home to 0.4 million people. The city dates back to 15 BC. Visitors come for Lake Zurich, Bahnhofstrasse, Grossmünster, and much more. Getting around is easy with the ZVV (S-Bahn & Tram).
Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and sits at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich in north-central Switzerland.
Looking beyond city limits, the Chicago metropolitan area covers 28,160 km², which is 21.1x larger than greater Zurich at 1,334 km². The Chicago metro area is also more populous, with 9.5 million people compared to 1.4 million.
Chicago has a population density of 4,455 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Zurich, with 4,886 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Zurich is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Chicago in North America versus Zurich in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Chicago has a humid continental climate while Zurich experiences oceanic conditions. When it's noon in Zurich, it's 5:00 AM in Chicago — a 7-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Zurich fits inside Chicago ~6 times
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Zurich is ~1,848 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).
Zurich covers 88 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Copenhagen (91 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), Paris (105 km²), or Vancouver (115 km²).
The straight-line distance from Chicago to Zurich is 7,126 km (4,428 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~8h 53m.
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