Dubai
4,114 km²
Phoenix
1,341 km²
UAE
United States
Area Comparison
Dubai is 3.1x larger than Phoenix
Population Comparison
Dubai has 2.1x more people than Phoenix
Yes — Dubai is 3.1x larger than Phoenix by area. Dubai spans 4,114 km² (1,588 mi²) while Phoenix covers 1,341 km² (518 mi²) — a difference of 2,773 km². You could fit Phoenix inside Dubai approximately 3 times.
To put Dubai's size in perspective, its area of 4,114 km² is roughly the same size as Rhode Island. Meanwhile, Phoenix at 1,341 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London.
Picture Dubai another way: its area is large enough to fit about 576,000 American football fields, 70 times the area of Manhattan, or 39 times the area of Paris. Phoenix, by comparison, equals about 188,000 American football fields, 23 times the area of Manhattan, or 13 times the area of Paris.
Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai. It is on a creek on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf. As of 2025, its population stands at 4 million, 92% of whom are expatriates. The wider urban area includes Sharjah and has a population of 5 million people as of 2023, while the Dubai–Sharjah–Ajman metropolitan area has a population of 6 million people.
Known as "City of Gold", Dubai covers 4,114 km² with a population of 3.3 million. The city was established in 1833. Dubai is known for Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Mall, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Dubai Metro.
Dubai's population reached 4 million in 2025, with 92% of residents being expatriates rather than UAE nationals.
Phoenix is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, Phoenix is the fifth-most populous city in the United States and the most populous state capital. The Phoenix metropolitan area, with an estimated 5.19 million residents, is the tenth-most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. and the most populous in the Mountain states and Southwest.
Nicknamed "Valley of the Sun", Phoenix has an area of 1,341 km² and is home to 1.6 million people. It was established in 1868. Visitors come for Camelback Mountain, Desert Botanical Garden, Heard Museum, and much more.
Phoenix is the most populous U.S. state capital and the fifth-largest city in the country with 1.6 million residents.
Dubai has a population density of 809 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Phoenix, with 1,201 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Both cities have comparable density, though Phoenix is slightly more compact.
Size Ratio
Phoenix fits inside Dubai ~3 times
Density Gap
Phoenix is 1.5x more densely populated
Dubai covers 4,114 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Karachi (3,527 km²), Hanoi (3,359 km²), Istanbul (5,461 km²), Cairo (3,085 km²), or Lima (2,672 km²).
Phoenix covers 1,341 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Los Angeles (1,302 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), Delhi (1,484 km²), or Mexico City (1,485 km²).
The straight-line distance from Dubai to Phoenix is 13,357 km (8,300 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~16h 13m.
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