Ho Chi Minh City
2,061 km²
Moscow
2,511 km²
Vietnam
Russia
Area Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City is 1.2x smaller than Moscow
Population Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City has 1.4x fewer people than Moscow
In terms of area, Moscow is 1.2x the size of Ho Chi Minh City. Moscow spans 2,511 km² (970 mi²) while Ho Chi Minh City covers 2,061 km² (796 mi²) — a difference of 450 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, Moscow at 2,511 km² is roughly the same size as Luxembourg.
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. Moscow, by comparison, equals about 352,000 American football fields, 42 times the area of Manhattan, or 24 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.
Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents within the city limits, over 19.1 million residents in the urban area, and over 21.5 million residents in its metropolitan area. The city covers an area of 2,511 square kilometers (970 mi2), while the urban area covers 5,891 square kilometers (2,275 mi2), and the metropolitan area covers over 26,000 square kilometers (10,000 mi2).
Also known as "Third Rome", Moscow has an area of 2,511 km² and is home to 12.5 million people. The city dates back to 1147. Visitors come for Red Square, Kremlin, Saint Basil's Cathedral, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Moscow Metro.
Moscow's metropolitan area covers over 26,000 square kilometers, making it one of the largest metropolitan footprints in Europe.
Looking beyond city limits, the Moscow metropolitan area covers 5,891 km², which is 2.9x larger than greater Ho Chi Minh City at 2,061 km². The Moscow metro area is also more populous, with 17.1 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. Moscow, with 4,994 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Moscow is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Ho Chi Minh City in Asia versus Moscow 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 Moscow experiences humid continental conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Ho Chi Minh City stays around 27°C while Moscow drops to -8°C. When it's noon in Ho Chi Minh City, it's 8:00 AM in Moscow — a 4-hour time difference.
Time Difference
4 hours apart
History
Moscow is ~551 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).
Moscow covers 2,511 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Cape Town (2,455 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), or Cairo (3,085 km²).
The straight-line distance from Ho Chi Minh City to Moscow is 7,708 km (4,789 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h 34m.
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