City Map Compare/Edinburgh vs Melbourne
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Edinburgh

259 km²

Melbourne

9,993 km²

Edinburgh vs Melbourne - City Size Comparison

Edinburgh vs Melbourne - City Size Comparison

Edinburgh

United Kingdom

Area259 km²
Population0.49M
Density1,892 /km²
Elevation47 m
Founded601
Melbourne

Australia

Area9,993 km²
Population5.08M
Density508 /km²
Elevation31 m
Metro Pop.5.1M
Founded1835
Climateoceanic

Area Comparison

Edinburgh is 38.6x smaller than Melbourne

Population Comparison

Edinburgh has 10.4x fewer people than Melbourne

Is Edinburgh Bigger Than Melbourne?

In terms of area, Melbourne is 38.6x the size of Edinburgh. Melbourne spans 9,993 km² (3,858 mi²) while Edinburgh covers 259 km² (100 mi²) — a difference of 9,734 km². You could fit Edinburgh inside Melbourne approximately 38 times.

To put Edinburgh's size in perspective, its area of 259 km² is about 1.2x the size of Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Melbourne at 9,993 km² is about 1.6x the size of Shanghai.

Edinburgh's footprint is roughly about 36,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Monaco, or 76 times the area of Central Park — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Melbourne works out to about 1,400,000 American football fields, 170 times the area of Manhattan, or 95 times the area of Paris.

About Edinburgh

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.

About Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second most-populous city in Australia. The city's name generally refers to a 9,993-square-kilometre (3,858 sq mi) area, comprising an urban agglomeration of 31 local government areas. The name is also used to specifically refer to the local government area named City of Melbourne, whose area is centred on the Melbourne central business district and some immediate surrounds.

Melbourne has an area of 9,993 km² and is home to 5.1 million people. It was established in 1835. Visitors come for Federation Square, Flinders Street Station, Melbourne Cricket Ground, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Melbourne Trams & Metro.

Melbourne's metropolitan area spans 9,993 square kilometers across 31 local government areas, making it Australia's second-most-populous city.

Population Density

Edinburgh has a population density of 1,892 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Melbourne, with 508 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Edinburgh is dramatically more crowded, with 3.7x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Edinburgh fits inside Melbourne ~38 times

Density Gap

Edinburgh is 3.7x more densely populated

History

Edinburgh is ~1,234 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Edinburgh

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Melbourne

Melbourne covers 9,993 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Xi'an (10,097 km²), Wuhan (8,569 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), or Chengdu (14,378 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, Edinburgh or Melbourne?
Melbourne is 38.6 times larger than Edinburgh by area. Melbourne covers 9,993 km² while Edinburgh spans 259 km², a difference of 9,734 km².
How many times does Edinburgh fit inside Melbourne?
Edinburgh (259 km²) fits inside Melbourne (9,993 km²) approximately 38 times. That means Melbourne is 38.6x the area of Edinburgh.
What is the population difference between Edinburgh and Melbourne?
Melbourne has approximately 5.1 million people, while Edinburgh has about 0.5 million. Melbourne has 4.6 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Edinburgh or Melbourne?
Edinburgh is more densely populated with 1,892 people per km², compared to 508 people per km².
Which city is older, Edinburgh or Melbourne?
Edinburgh is older, founded around 601, while Melbourne was established around 1835 — a difference of about 1234 years.
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Edinburgh and Melbourne

The straight-line distance from Edinburgh to Melbourne is 16,912 km (10,509 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~20h 24m.

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