Edinburgh
259 km²
Madrid
604 km²
United Kingdom
Spain
Area Comparison
Edinburgh is 2.3x smaller than Madrid
Population Comparison
Edinburgh has 6.8x fewer people than Madrid
Madrid is significantly larger, covering 2.3 times the area of Edinburgh. Madrid spans 604 km² (233 mi²) while Edinburgh covers 259 km² (100 mi²) — a difference of 345 km². You could fit Edinburgh inside Madrid approximately 2 times.
To put Edinburgh's size in perspective, its area of 259 km² is about 1.2x the size of Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Madrid at 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
In more relatable units, Edinburgh's 259 km² is about 36,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Monaco, or 76 times the area of Central Park. Madrid, by comparison, equals about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. It is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh had a population of 506,520 in 2020, making it the second-most-populous city in Scotland and the seventh-most-populous in the United Kingdom. The wider metropolitan area had a population of 912,490 in the same year.
Known as "Auld Reekie", Edinburgh covers 259 km² with a population of 0.5 million. The city was established in 601. Edinburgh is known for Edinburgh Castle, Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat, among other attractions.
Edinburgh is bounded by the Firth of Forth to the north and the Pentland Hills to the south.
Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. It had a population of over 3.4 million in the city proper in 2025, and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.8 million. Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU, after Paris. The municipality covers an area of 605.77 square kilometres (233.89 sq mi).
Often called "La Villa y Corte", Madrid has an area of 604 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. Its history stretches back to 852. Visitors come for Royal Palace of Madrid, Prado Museum, Plaza Mayor, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Madrid Metro.
Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union after Berlin, with over 3.4 million residents in the city proper
Edinburgh has a population density of 1,892 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Madrid, with 5,513 people per km², is a densely populated city. Madrid is noticeably denser, packing 2.9 times more people per square kilometer.
Size Ratio
Edinburgh fits inside Madrid ~2 times
Density Gap
Madrid is 2.9x more densely populated
History
Edinburgh is ~251 years older
Edinburgh covers 259 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Taipei (272 km²), Kuala Lumpur (243 km²), Boston (232 km²), Osaka (225 km²), or Amsterdam (219 km²).
Madrid covers 604 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Chicago (606 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Edinburgh to Madrid is 1,728 km (1,074 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 32m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.