Ho Chi Minh City
2,061 km²
Nairobi
696 km²
Vietnam
Kenya
Area Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City is 3.0x larger than Nairobi
Population Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City has 1.9x more people than Nairobi
In terms of area, Ho Chi Minh City is 3.0x the size of Nairobi. Ho Chi Minh City spans 2,061 km² (796 mi²) while Nairobi covers 696 km² (269 mi²) — a difference of 1,365 km². You could fit Nairobi inside Ho Chi Minh City approximately 2 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, Nairobi at 696 km² is about 1.1x smaller than New York City.
In more relatable units, Ho Chi Minh City's 2,061 km² is about 289,000 American football fields, 35 times the area of Manhattan, or 20 times the area of Paris. Nairobi works out to about 97,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 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.
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya, located in the south-central part of the country. As of 2024, it has a population of 4.8 million and a metropolitan population of 5.7 million, making it the 11th most populous city in Africa. Nicknamed the "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi is uniquely notable for being the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries. Its name originates from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, meaning "place of cool waters".
Also known as "Green City under the Sun", Nairobi has an area of 696 km² and is home to 4.7 million people. Its history stretches back to 1899. Visitors come for Nairobi National Park, Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Nairobi Commuter Rail.
Nairobi is the only capital city in the world that hosts a national park within its boundaries.
Looking beyond city limits, the Ho Chi Minh City metropolitan area covers 2,061 km², which is 3.0x larger than greater Nairobi at 696 km². The Ho Chi Minh City metro area is also more populous, with 9.0 million people compared to 4.7 million.
Ho Chi Minh City has a population density of 4,362 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Nairobi, with 6,796 people per km², is a densely populated city. Nairobi is noticeably denser, packing 1.6 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Ho Chi Minh City in Asia versus Nairobi in Africa. 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 Nairobi experiences subtropical highland conditions. Summers are notably different: Ho Chi Minh City averages 29°C compared to 20°C in Nairobi. When it's noon in Ho Chi Minh City, it's 8:00 AM in Nairobi — a 4-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Nairobi fits inside Ho Chi Minh City ~2 times
Density Gap
Nairobi is 1.6x more densely populated
Time Difference
4 hours apart
History
Ho Chi Minh City is ~201 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).
Nairobi covers 696 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Tehran (730 km²), Jakarta (662 km²), Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Ho Chi Minh City to Nairobi is 7,833 km (4,867 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h 43m.
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