Hanoi
3,359 km²
São Paulo
1,521 km²
Vietnam
Brazil
Area Comparison
Hanoi is 2.2x larger than São Paulo
Population Comparison
Hanoi has 1.5x fewer people than São Paulo
Yes — Hanoi is 2.2x larger than São Paulo by area. Hanoi spans 3,359 km² (1,297 mi²) while São Paulo covers 1,521 km² (587 mi²) — a difference of 1,838 km². You could fit São Paulo inside Hanoi approximately 2 times.
To put Hanoi's size in perspective, its area of 3,359 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Rhode Island. Meanwhile, São Paulo at 1,521 km² is roughly the same size as London.
In more relatable units, Hanoi's 3,359 km² is about 470,000 American football fields, 57 times the area of Manhattan, or 32 times the area of Paris. For São Paulo, that's about 213,000 American football fields, 26 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 times the area of Paris.
Hanoi is the capital and second-most populous municipality of Vietnam. It encompasses an area of 3,358.6 km2 (1,296.8 mi2), and as of 2025 has a population of 8,807,523. Hanoi had the second-highest gross regional domestic product of all Vietnamese provinces and municipalities at US$48 billion in 2023, behind Ho Chi Minh City. It hosts 78 foreign embassies, the headquarters of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA), its Vietnam National University system, and other governmental organizations.
Known as "City Between Rivers", Hanoi covers 3,359 km² with a population of 8.1 million. The city was established in 1010. Hanoi is known for Hoan Kiem Lake, Old Quarter, Temple of Literature, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Hanoi Metro.
Hanoi encompasses 3,358.6 square kilometers and had a population of nearly 8.8 million as of 2025.
São Paulo is the capital city of the state of the same name, as well as the most populous city in Brazil, South America, the Americas, and in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres. The city exerts international influence in commerce, finance, culture, gastronomy, arts, fashion, technology, entertainment and media, having been listed by UNESCO's Creative Cities Network as a "City of Film" and the title of "World Capital of Gastronomy", and by the Globalization and World Cities Research…
Nicknamed "Sampa", São Paulo has an area of 1,521 km² and is home to 12.3 million people. The city dates back to 1554. Visitors come for Avenida Paulista, Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo Museum of Art, and much more. Getting around is easy with the São Paulo Metro.
São Paulo is the most populous city in Brazil, the Americas, and both the Western and Southern Hemispheres.
Looking beyond city limits, the São Paulo metropolitan area covers 7,947 km², which is 2.4x larger than greater Hanoi at 3,359 km². The São Paulo metro area is also more populous, with 22.0 million people compared to 8.1 million.
Hanoi has a population density of 2,397 people per km² — a moderately dense city. São Paulo, with 8,107 people per km², is a densely populated city. São Paulo is dramatically more crowded, with 3.4x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Hanoi in Asia versus São Paulo in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Both cities share a humid subtropical climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each. When it's noon in Hanoi, it's 2:00 AM in São Paulo — a 10-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
São Paulo fits inside Hanoi ~2 times
Density Gap
São Paulo is 3.4x more densely populated
Time Difference
10 hours apart
History
Hanoi is ~544 years older
Hanoi covers 3,359 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Karachi (3,527 km²), Cairo (3,085 km²), Dubai (4,114 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), or Moscow (2,511 km²).
São Paulo covers 1,521 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Mexico City (1,485 km²), Delhi (1,484 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bogotá (1,578 km²).
The straight-line distance from Hanoi to São Paulo is 17,173 km (10,671 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~20h 42m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.