Ho Chi Minh City
2,061 km²
Madrid
604 km²
Vietnam
Spain
Area Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City is 3.4x larger than Madrid
Population Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City has 2.7x more people than Madrid
In terms of area, Ho Chi Minh City is 3.4x the size of Madrid. Ho Chi Minh City spans 2,061 km² (796 mi²) while Madrid covers 604 km² (233 mi²) — a difference of 1,457 km². You could fit Madrid inside Ho Chi Minh City approximately 3 times.
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, Madrid at 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
Picture Ho Chi Minh City another way: its area is large enough to fit about 289,000 American football fields, 35 times the area of Manhattan, or 20 times the area of Paris. Madrid, by comparison, equals about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
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.
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).
Also known as "La Villa y Corte", Madrid has an area of 604 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. The city dates 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
Looking beyond city limits, the Madrid metropolitan area covers 8,028 km², which is 3.9x larger than greater Ho Chi Minh City at 2,061 km². The Ho Chi Minh City metro area is also more populous, with 9.0 million people compared to 6.8 million.
Ho Chi Minh City has a population density of 4,362 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Madrid, with 5,513 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Madrid is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Ho Chi Minh City in Asia versus Madrid in Europe. 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 Madrid experiences hot-summer Mediterranean conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Ho Chi Minh City stays around 27°C while Madrid drops to 6°C. When it's noon in Ho Chi Minh City, it's 6:00 AM in Madrid — a 6-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Madrid fits inside Ho Chi Minh City ~3 times
Time Difference
6 hours apart
History
Madrid is ~846 years older
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).
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 Ho Chi Minh City to Madrid is 10,890 km (6,767 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 19m.
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