Ho Chi Minh City
2,061 km²
Mexico City
1,485 km²
2,061 km²
1,485 km²
Vietnam
Mexico
Area Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City is 1.4x larger than Mexico City
Population Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City has 1.0x fewer people than Mexico City
In terms of area, Ho Chi Minh City is 1.4x the size of Mexico City. Ho Chi Minh City spans 2,061 km² (796 mi²) while Mexico City covers 1,485 km² (573 mi²) — a difference of 576 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, Mexico City at 1,485 km² is roughly the same size as 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. Mexico City works out to about 208,000 American football fields, 25 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 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.
Mexico City is the capital and most populous city of Mexico, as well as the most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and financial centers in the world, and is classified as an Alpha world city according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) 2024 ranking. Mexico City is located in the Valley of Mexico within the high Mexican central plateau, at an altitude of 2,240 meters.
Also known as "CDMX", Mexico City has an area of 1,485 km² and is home to 9.2 million people. Its history stretches back to 1325. Visitors come for Zocalo square, Chapultepec Park, Frida Kahlo Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Mexico City Metro.
Mexico City sits at an altitude of 2,240 meters in the Valley of Mexico on the high Mexican central plateau.
Looking beyond city limits, the Mexico City metropolitan area covers 7,854 km², which is 3.8x larger than greater Ho Chi Minh City at 2,061 km². The Mexico City metro area is also more populous, with 21.8 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. Mexico City, with 6,202 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Mexico City is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Ho Chi Minh City in Asia versus Mexico City 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 Mexico City experiences subtropical highland conditions. Summers are notably different: Ho Chi Minh City averages 29°C compared to 18°C in Mexico City. When it's noon in Ho Chi Minh City, it's midnight in Mexico City — a 13-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Mexico City is 1.4x more densely populated
Time Difference
13 hours apart
History
Mexico City is ~373 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).
Mexico City covers 1,485 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Delhi (1,484 km²), São Paulo (1,521 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bogotá (1,578 km²).
The straight-line distance from Ho Chi Minh City to Mexico City is 15,624 km (9,708 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~18h 53m.
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