Ho Chi Minh City
2,061 km²
Los Angeles
1,302 km²
2,061 km²
1,302 km²
Vietnam
USA
Area Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City is 1.6x larger than Los Angeles
Population Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City has 2.3x more people than Los Angeles
Yes — Ho Chi Minh City is 1.6x larger than Los Angeles by area. Ho Chi Minh City spans 2,061 km² (796 mi²) while Los Angeles covers 1,302 km² (503 mi²) — a difference of 759 km².
To put Ho Chi Minh City's size in perspective, its area of 2,061 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper). Meanwhile, Los Angeles at 1,302 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London.
Ho Chi Minh City's footprint is roughly about 289,000 American football fields, 35 times the area of Manhattan, or 20 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Los Angeles, by comparison, equals about 182,000 American football fields, 22 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.
Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is the most populous municipality of Vietnam, with a population of more than 14 million in 2025. Its geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigon River. As the largest financial centre in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has the largest gross regional domestic product out of all Vietnam provinces and municipalities, contributing around a quarter of the country's total GDP.
Known as "Saigon", Ho Chi Minh City covers 2,061 km² with a population of 9.0 million. The city was established in 1698. Ho Chi Minh City is known for Independence Palace, Bitexco Financial Tower, War Remnants Museum, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the HCMC Metro (opening 2024).
Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's largest financial center and contributes around a quarter of the country's total GDP.
Los Angeles (LA) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. With an estimated 3.88 million residents within the city limits as of 2024, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, behind New York City, and the largest city in the Western United States. The city has an ethnically and culturally diverse population, and is the principal city of a metropolitan area of 12.9 million people (2024).
Often called "The City of Angels", Los Angeles has an area of 1,302 km² and is home to 4.0 million people. It was established in 1781. Visitors come for Hollywood Sign, Santa Monica Pier, Beverly Hills, and much more. Getting around is easy with the LA Metro.
Los Angeles is the second-most populous city in the United States, home to 3.88 million residents within city limits as of 2024.
Looking beyond city limits, the Los Angeles metropolitan area covers 12,562 km², which is 6.1x larger than greater Ho Chi Minh City at 2,061 km². The Los Angeles metro area is also more populous, with 13.2 million people compared to 9.0 million.
Ho Chi Minh City has a population density of 4,362 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Los Angeles, with 3,049 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Ho Chi Minh City is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Ho Chi Minh City in Asia versus Los Angeles in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical savanna climate while Los Angeles experiences Mediterranean conditions. When it's noon in Ho Chi Minh City, it's midnight in Los Angeles — a 15-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Ho Chi Minh City is 1.4x more densely populated
Time Difference
15 hours apart
Ho Chi Minh City covers 2,061 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Shenzhen (1,997 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Riyadh (1,798 km²), Cape Town (2,455 km²), or Houston (1,725 km²).
Los Angeles covers 1,302 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Rome (1,285 km²), Phoenix (1,341 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), San Antonio (1,209 km²), or Lagos (1,172 km²).
The straight-line distance from Ho Chi Minh City to Los Angeles is 13,136 km (8,162 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~15h 57m.
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